An intimate park-like setting with low-maintenance materials replaced an aging wooden rooftop deck at this Bucktown home. Three distinct spaces create a full outdoor experience, starting with a landscaped dining area surrounded by large trees and greenery. The illusion is that of a secret garden rather than an urban rooftop deck. A sprawling green area is the perfect spot to soak in the summer sun or play an outdoor game. In the front is the main entertainment area, fully outfitted with a louvered roof, fire table, and built-in seating. The space maintains the atmosphere of a garden with shrubbery and flowers. It’s the ideal place to host friends and family with a custom kitchen that is complete with a Big Green Egg and an outdoor television.

Balancing modern architectural elements with traditional Edwardian features was a key component of the complete renovation of this San Francisco residence. All new finishes were selected to brighten and enliven the spaces, and the home was filled with a mix of furnishings that convey a modern twist on traditional elements. The re-imagined layout of the home supports activities that range from a cozy family game night to al fresco entertaining. Architect: AT6 Architecture Builder: Citidev Photographer: Ken Gutmaker Photography

The primary style of this new lounge space could be classified as an American-style pub, with the rustic quality of a prohibition-era speakeasy balanced by the masculine look of a Victorian-era men’s lounge. The wet bar was designed as three casual sections distributed along the two window walls. Custom counters were created by combining antiqued copper on the surface and riveted iron strapping on the edges. The ceiling was opened up, peaking at 12', and the framing was finished with reclaimed wood, converting the vaulted space into a pyramid for a four-walled cathedral ceiling. Neals Design Remodel Robin Victor Goetz

Direct inspiration for my Powder Room derives from Ascot’s Keith Haring ceramic tile collection, “Game of Fifteen.” Upon seeing the series, I knew that, in order to make a significant impact, the bathroom would have to be small in size, as the tile itself was high impact. Thus, we needed to keep the theme sharp and chic, graphic and poignant. The room had to maintain a proportional balance between the recessive background of the white tiles and the strength of the accent tile’s imagery. Thus equal elements of visual proportion and harmony was essential to a successfully designed room. In terms of color, the boldness of the tiles black and white pattern with its overall whimsical pattern made the selection a perfect fit for a playful and innovative room. . I liked the way the different shapes blend into each other, hardly indistinguishable from one another, yet decipherable. His shapes are visual mazes, archetypal ideograms of a sort. At a distance, they form a pattern; up close, they form a story. Many of the themes are about people and their connections to each other. Some are visually explicit; others are more reflective and discreet. Most are just fun and whimsical, appealing to children and to the uninhibited in us. They are also primitive in their bold lines and graphic imagery. Many shapes are of monsters and scary beings, relaying the innate fears of childhood and the exterior landscape of the reality of city life. In effect, they are graffiti like patterns, yet indelibly marked in our subconscious. In addition, the basic black, white, and red colors so essential to Haring’s work express the boldness and basic instincts of color and form. In addition, my passion for both design and art found their aesthetic confluence in the expression of this whimsical statement of idea and function.

This brick and limestone, 6,000-square-foot residence exemplifies understated elegance. Located in the award-wining Blaine School District and within close proximity to the Southport Corridor, this is city living at its finest! The foyer, with herringbone wood floors, leads to a dramatic, hand-milled oval staircase; an architectural element that allows sunlight to cascade down from skylights and to filter throughout the house. The floor plan has stately-proportioned rooms and includes formal Living and Dining Rooms; an expansive, eat-in, gourmet Kitchen/Great Room; four bedrooms on the second level with three additional bedrooms and a Family Room on the lower level; a Penthouse Playroom leading to a roof-top deck and green roof; and an attached, heated 3-car garage. Additional features include hardwood flooring throughout the main level and upper two floors; sophisticated architectural detailing throughout the house including coffered ceiling details, barrel and groin vaulted ceilings; painted, glazed and wood paneling; laundry rooms on the bedroom level and on the lower level; five fireplaces, including one outdoors; and HD Video, Audio and Surround Sound pre-wire distribution through the house and grounds. The home also features extensively landscaped exterior spaces, designed by Prassas Landscape Studio. This home went under contract within 90 days during the Great Recession. Featured in Chicago Magazine: http://goo.gl/Gl8lRm Jim Yochum

Austin's custom home builder John Siemering presents this contemporary twist on the traditional Texas Farmhouse located in Dripping Springs. This expansive home features a mixed exterior design showcasing limestone paired together with board and batten cedar siding, Douglas fir columns and a metal and concrete tile roof. The custom pine double front door opens into the breathtaking great room featuring a vaulted ceiling with decorative fir trusses, white shiplap walls and dark wood floors. The large limestone fireplace is the focal point of this impressive space. The use of custom fir ceiling/header beams and unique wood doors continues throughout nearly every room in the home to enhance the contemporary rustic farmhouse feel. The stunning open kitchen steals the show with an artisan hammered metal vent hood juxtaposed next to a full subway tile backsplash. The kitchen also features a wood paneled ceiling, marble countertops, white cabinetry, a Lacanche range and a double refrigerator enclosed behind custom wood panels. The luxurious master bedroom and bathroom exude traditional upscale style with large custom ceiling beams to tie into the farmhouse theme. His and her white vanities, a free standing tub, large walk in shower and plenty of marble tile throughout turn the master bathroom into a high end spa-like retreat. An additional game room space contains a full wet bar with granite countertop, shiplap walls, custom pastel sliding barn doors and French exterior doors leading to the rear of the home. The rear courtyard is highlighted with an outdoor kitchen, bar and grill area overlooking the pool. The outdoor dining and living space has multiple zones thanks to a large outdoor see through fireplace with seating on either side. Last but not least, this home also comes with a large free standing 3 car garage structure with half of an indoor basketball court on the upper level.

Our client greatly enjoyed their natural setting, and our master plan was built on preserving its character. We wanted to enhance the juxtaposition of rigid clarity of the rectilinear house with the highly organic, natural features of the site. Striking a balance between the man-made and the natural is always in our minds, as we seek subtle ways of stitching orthogonal lines into an otherwise organic setting. The Petanque court is the key element in transforming the untamed rear yard. The court is slightly cut into a slope and parallels the predominant site contours; softening grade change making the yard more useable, while lessening its impact on the topography. The moment where this really came together was when we decided to reuse the old-balcony wood to create a new boardwalk that runs the length of the court, and provides seating for players. A bend in its length brings it back into alignment with the house and ties into the path of concrete steps. It’s a perfect place to sit and watch a game. Photo credit: Vince Lupo

The primary style of this new lounge space could be classified as an American-style pub, with the rustic quality of a prohibition-era speakeasy balanced by the masculine look of a Victorian-era men’s lounge. The wet bar was designed as three casual sections distributed along the two window walls. Custom counters were created by combining antiqued copper on the surface and riveted iron strapping on the edges. The ceiling was opened up, peaking at 12', and the framing was finished with reclaimed wood, converting the vaulted space into a pyramid for a four-walled cathedral ceiling. Neals Design Remodel Robin Victor Goetz

Beams and tongue and groove ceiling give this enormous double living room texture and scale. The room has identical fireplaces at each end , each with there own individual seating arrangements, and a game table at center.

Large traditional white one-story brick exterior home idea in Dallas with a shingle roof

Our client greatly enjoyed their natural setting, and our master plan was built on preserving its character. We wanted to enhance the juxtaposition of rigid clarity of the rectilinear house with the highly organic, natural features of the site. Striking a balance between the man-made and the natural is always in our minds, as we seek subtle ways of stitching orthogonal lines into an otherwise organic setting. The Petanque court is the key element in transforming the untamed rear yard. The court is slightly cut into a slope and parallels the predominant site contours; softening grade change making the yard more useable, while lessening its impact on the topography. The moment where this really came together was when we decided to reuse the old-balcony wood to create a new boardwalk that runs the length of the court, and provides seating for players. A bend in its length brings it back into alignment with the house and ties into the path of concrete steps. It’s a perfect place to sit and watch a game. Photo credit: Vince Lupo

Perched on a forested hillside above Missoula, the Pattee Canyon Residence provides a series of bright, light filled spaces for a young family of six. Set into the hillside, the home appears humble from the street while opening up to panoramic views towards the valley. The family frequently puts on large gatherings for friends of all ages; thus, multiple “eddy out” spaces were created throughout the home for more intimate chats. Exposed steel structural ribs and generous glazing in the great room create a rhythm and draw one’s gaze to the folding horizon. Smaller windows on the lower level frame intimate portraits of nature. Cedar siding and dark shingle roofing help the home blend in with its piney surroundings. Inside, rough sawn cabinetry and nature inspired tile provide a textural balance with the bright white spaces and contemporary fixtures.

Balancing modern architectural elements with traditional Edwardian features was a key component of the complete renovation of this San Francisco residence. All new finishes were selected to brighten and enliven the spaces, and the home was filled with a mix of furnishings that convey a modern twist on traditional elements. The re-imagined layout of the home supports activities that range from a cozy family game night to al fresco entertaining. Architect: AT6 Architecture Builder: Citidev Photographer: Ken Gutmaker Photography

Wet bar - coastal l-shaped vinyl floor and beige floor wet bar idea in Manchester with an undermount sink, floating shelves, blue cabinets, quartz countertops, blue backsplash, mosaic tile backsplash and white countertops

Balancing modern architectural elements with traditional Edwardian features was a key component of the complete renovation of this San Francisco residence. All new finishes were selected to brighten and enliven the spaces, and the home was filled with a mix of furnishings that convey a modern twist on traditional elements. The re-imagined layout of the home supports activities that range from a cozy family game night to al fresco entertaining. Architect: AT6 Architecture Builder: Citidev Photographer: Ken Gutmaker Photography

Meet Meridith: a super-mom who’s as busy as she is badass  — and easily my favorite overachiever. She slays her office job and comes home to an equally high-octane family life. We share a love for city living with farmhouse aspirations. There’s a vegetable garden in the backyard, a black cat, and a floppy eared rabbit named Rocky. There has been a mobile chicken coop and a colony of bees in the backyard. At one point they even had a pregnant hedgehog on their hands! Between gardening, entertaining, and helping with homework, Meridith has zero time for interior design. Spending several days a week in New York for work, she has limited amount of time at home with her family. My goal was to let her make the most of it by taking her design projects off her to do list and let her get back to her family (and rabbit). I wanted her to spend her weekends at her son's baseball games, not shopping for sofas. That’s my cue! Meridith is wonderful. She is one of the kindest people I know. We had so much fun, it doesn’t seem fair to call this “work”. She is loving, and smart, and funny. She’s one of those girlfriends everyone wants to call their own best friend. I wanted her house to reflect that: to feel cozy and inviting, and encourage guests to stay a while. Meridith is not your average beige person, and she has excellent taste. Plus, she was totally hands-on with design choices. It was a true collaboration. We played up her quirky side and built usable, inspiring spaces one lightbulb moment at a time. I took her love for color (sacré blue!) and immediately started creating a plan for her space and thinking about her design wish list. I set out hunting for vibrant hues and intriguing patterns that spoke to her color palette and taste for pattern. I focused on creating the right vibe in each space: a bit of drama in the dining room, a bit more refined and quiet atmosphere for the living room, and a neutral zen tone in their master bedroom. Her stuff. My eye. Meridith’s impeccable taste comes through in her art collection. The perfect placement of her beautiful paintings served as the design model for color and mood. We had a bit of a chair graveyard on our hands, but we worked with some key pieces of her existing furniture and incorporated other traditional pieces, which struck a pleasant balance. French chairs, Asian-influenced footstools, turned legs, gilded finishes, glass hurricanes – a wonderful mash-up of traditional and contemporary. Some special touches were custom-made (the marble backsplash in the powder room, the kitchen banquette) and others were happy accidents (a wallpaper we spotted via Pinterest). They all came together in a design aesthetic that feels warm, inviting, and vibrant — just like Meridith! We built her space based on function. We asked ourselves, “how will her family use each room on any given day?” Meridith throws legendary dinner parties, so we needed curated seating arrangements that could easily switch from family meals to elegant entertaining. We sought a cozy eat-in kitchen and decongested entryways that still made a statement. Above all, we wanted Meredith’s style and panache to shine through every detail. From the pendant in the entryway, to a wild use of pattern in her dining room drapery, Meredith’s space was a total win. See more of our work at www.safferstone.com. Connect with us on Facebook, get inspired on Pinterest, and share modern musings on life & design on Instagram. Or, share what's on your plate with us at hello@safferstone.com. Photo: Angie Seckinger

The renovation of this Wallingford craftsman-style bungalow is a thoughtful mix of contemporary ideals within the traditional language of the existing home. Overall, the house was in good shape, but there were unique changes the owner wanted to promote socializing and cooking, relatable to the craftsman style, setting an eclectic balance. Natural light transforms the space. The vaulted ceiling and five over-sized skylights, plus glass doors allow sunlight to pour through and fill the kitchen and social space with tons of daylight. To extend the kitchen, the busiest room in the home, a NanaWall opens to a tiered deck with a connection to the backyard and intimate garden views. There is an in-kitchen Wood Stone pizza oven. An 18-foot long island runs the length of the kitchen where homemade pizzas are made, plus it conceals a shuffleboard table. A black metal wall holds eight beer taps and a surface for creativity. The tatami room serves as an adaptive space – for eating, sleeping, playing games, and socializing.

Piston Design
Example of a tuscan gender-neutral playroom design in Houston with purple walls

An Arteriors chandelier hangs over the large kitchen island to coordinate with the Murray Feiss sconces. An oversized Vanguard custom wedge sectional if grounded by a Furniture Classics rustic cocktail 6' long. A Furniture Classics aqua chest sits along the wedge of the sectional and a Sligh TV console balances the theater sized TV. A lexington Tommy Bahama card table and Design Master chairs completes the room.