Chadsworth Columns Show House featuring work of Christine G.H. Franck. Columns by Chadsworth.
Traditional white three-story wood exterior home idea in Other

While this new home had an architecturally striking exterior, the home’s interior fell short in terms of true functionality and overall style. The most critical element in this renovation was the kitchen and dining area, which needed careful attention to bring it to the level that suited the home and the homeowners. As a graduate of Culinary Institute of America, our client wanted a kitchen that “feels like a restaurant, with the warmth of a home kitchen,” where guests can gather over great food, great wine, and truly feel comfortable in the open concept home. Although it follows a typical chef’s galley layout, the unique design solutions and unusual materials set it apart from the typical kitchen design. Polished countertops, laminated and stainless cabinets fronts, and professional appliances are complemented by the introduction of wood, glass, and blackened metal – materials introduced in the overall design of the house. Unique features include a wall clad in walnut for dangling heavy pots and utensils; a floating, sculptural walnut countertop piece housing an herb garden; an open pantry that serves as a coffee bar and wine station; and a hanging chalkboard that hides a water heater closet and features different coffee offerings available to guests. The dining area addition, enclosed by windows, continues to vivify the organic elements and brings in ample natural light, enhancing the darker finishes and creating additional warmth. Photos by Ira Montgomery

Giant Hyssop and lilies surround this copper mailbox. Alan & Linda Detrick Photography
Inspiration for a mid-sized traditional full sun front yard driveway in New York for summer.

This article is posted here with the consent of the author. The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy, position, view, or opinion of Crestron Electronics, Inc., or of any of its employees. Crestron Electronics is not responsible for, and does not verify the accuracy of, any of the information contained in this article. By Jeff Singer The “smart” revolution began several years ago with smartphones (a.k.a phones) and has extended in recent years to thermostats, doorbells, alarm systems, and kitchen appliances. Smart devices are so ubiquitous that the term “smart” is overused to the point that it is almost meaningless. Companies are eager to jump on the bandwagon and claim their products are “smart,” and consumers proudly claim they have a smart home because they have lighting control. Misconceptions about smart homes are prevalent and create confusion in the marketplace. This can have deleterious effects on businesses and underserve consumers. Here are seven of the most popular misconceptions about smart homes: 1. Apps are smart Apps are convenient and easy to use. Yes, it seems there’s an app for everything. People expect to be able to download an app and do just about anything. App developers and many companies do not disavow consumers of this myth. On the contrary, they promote this idea with carefully worded descriptions. The promise of having the world at your fingertips for $1.99 is very enticing. Although it sounds too good to be true, it is also too good to pass up for many people. This leads to undervaluing home control and disappointment when the apps don’t work, which undermines confidence in our industry. The fact is that apps are not smart. They do not control anything. They must connect to and communicate with a control system or cloud service that processes, prioritizes, and executes commands. That’s the real magic and what most people do not understand. 2. Smart devices work together With so many smart appliances and devices on the market today, it’s understandable that the average consumer might think that they actually communicate and work together. This is simply not the case. Smart devices are not that smart. They are designed and manufactured by different, often competing, companies. There are no national or industry standards governing these products. Even if they all operate using Wi-Fi® communications, that doesn’t mean they work together. Some companies promote a home control platform, which unites different devices from different companies – in theory. The platform is yet another third-party software totally dependent on other companies developing APIs and writing control modules for their hardware to run on that piece of software. The devices are not independently compatible. Also, when updates are made to either the hardware or the software, functionality may be affected for some period. That’s a nice way of saying the device or system won’t work and there’s no way of knowing for how long. 3. It’s a DIY project Which brings us to the next myth, which is that the average person can do it themselves. Unless you are a skilled professional, I would not advise taking on a smart home project. You want to make a light turn on and off with your Alexa® or Google Assistant™ virtual assistant software, go for it. A smart home takes much more planning and expertise. I have no problem changing a light bulb or hanging a light fixture in my dining room; however, I am not going to rewire my house. I may change the flush valve in my toilet, but I’m not going to replace the pipes in my house. You get it. Integrating devices and systems, establishing different zones, creating scenes, designing the UI with a balance between control, feedback, and simplicity – all takes experience and skill. 4. Need a programmer to make changes Early adopters may have experienced the pain of trying to make a simple change or update to their home control system. Years ago, if the cable provider changed the channel line-up, the homeowner would have to call the dealer or programmer to make an appointment for them to come out to the house to reprogram the system. The system wouldn’t work as expected until it was updated, which often took several days and beaucoup bucks. Not anymore. Technology has evolved so now it’s easy for system owners to change favorite channels, create scenes, rename buttons, update images, and more. While a professional is needed for the initial installation and setup, the system is easy to manage once it’s up and running. This makes life so much easier for both dealer and customer. 5. Tech becomes obsolete quickly Similar to updating the UI, updating firmware or hardware used to be a stressful process. A smart home should be intelligent enough to update itself. Apps don’t become obsolete. Updates are constantly pushed out from the cloud, making them better all the time. The same is true for a good smart home system. New features, functions, and device support gets added in the background consistently, so the system you installed (or purchased) yesterday gets better over time. Swapping out decorative elements, such as keypads, dimmers, and touch screens is also seamless. When a new device is added, all the settings are pulled down from the cloud and it just works. No system interruptions. No sunk costs. No imposing house calls. No surprise bills. 6. Lighting control saves energy and money Lighting control is one of the most popular smart systems, but it takes more than just one system to make a home smart. On the surface, it makes sense that if you dim the lights ten percent, then you save ten percent of energy costs. If the shades are raised during the day to take advantage of sunlight so the lights don’t need to be on (or at least not 100%), but that causes the room temperature to rise a few degrees, which triggers the air conditioner to run longer and more often, was energy usage (or cost) reduced? A smart home integrates all the various systems and technology to optimize comfort, convenience, safety, and sometimes energy. 7. Home technology is easy to hack Security is at the forefront of people’s minds these days. Personal identities are stolen; email accounts hacked; private photos publicized; and more. A smart home must outsmart those who don’t respect privacy. Crestron control systems adhere to the strictest security standards. The same Crestron control system that goes into a home is also installed in secure government and military facilities, global banking institutions, hospitals, and other mission critical applications. When installed correctly by a trained professional, a Crestron smart home is the gold standard for security, comfort, and convenience.

Eric Roth
Transitional kitchen photo in Boston

HNA Hardscape Project Award Winner Morrison Residence Roswell, GA PaverStone Construction The challenge with this project was the client’s large property had no real usable backyard for their large family. The property dropped off quickly starting at 30 ft out their back door. We used this fall in elevation to our advantage by creating a stunning vanishing edge swimming pool which gives the feeling of being in the mountains. The owners wanted a backyard oasis for entertainment and social functions. All the boxes were ticked off on this project. Spa and waterfall with stream, vanishing edge pool, and pool side bar with built in bar stools, beach entry, outdoor entertainment system, night lighting system, outdoor kitchen and fire pit. They even have a putting green and children’s play area. We used the grade changes to our advantage by designing three separate terrace levels surrounding the pool. The upper level contains the outdoor kitchen, fire pit and spa. The large second level includes the stream, beach entry and plenty of area for chase lounges and pool side activity, while the lower level takes advantage of the bar stools at the deep end and the cantilevered stone slab bar top.

Display shelves for hallway.
Hallway - huge modern carpeted and beige floor hallway idea in Birmingham with white walls

Stuart Wade, Envision Virtual Tours Envision Virtual Tours is a group of professional photographers who specialize in high resolution photography in The Athens Georgia Area. Athens, a unified city-county with Clarke County is located in the northeastern part of Georgia. This college town is where the University of Georgia is located. The university, which was founded in the 1800s, was responsible for the city's initial growth. Athens is the fifth largest city in the state of Georgia and in 2009 had an estimated population of 114, 983. Athens is located in a place that was once a trading settlement along the banks of Oconee River, called the Cedar Shoals. College and Universities There are three prominent colleges in Athens: the University of Georgia (UGA), the Athens Technical College (ATC) and the Piedmont College. The University of Georgia is the oldest and the largest of all the state's higher learning institutions and is a public research university. UGA had its first building made from logs. Additional funds for school construction were raised from the money they got by selling the adjacent lots to the college, which was then made to help the town grow. It was 1804 when the first class graduated from the university. Athens by that time consisted of three stores, three homes, and few buildings all facing Broad Street, previously known as the Front Street. Another college was completed in 1806 and was named to honor Benjamin Franklin, Franklin College, which is the University of Georgia and Athens' first stable structure. Currently, the brick building is known as Old College. Athens Technical College is a public college in Athens offering diplomas, certificates as well as associate degrees in health, business, manufacturing and technical related fields. Piedmont college on the other hand is an institution for private liberal arts founded in 1897 in service to the residents of Appalachian area in the northeast part of the state. Athens: In & Around Town Culture is coexisting with students from the university with the creation of a music scene, an art scene and an intellectual environment. The city has lots of unusual treasures. One remarkable aspect is the remains of one of the two double barreled cannons which were produced from the American Civil War. Another is the famous "Tree That Owns Itself," which is currently the original tree's offspring. The city has two public gardens: the State Botanical Garden of Georgia and the University of Georgia Campus Arboretum. Being a college town, there is an abundance of night life and eateries in Athens. But giving class to the city's night lights are two notable bars: Allen's, which is the oldest bar and the Glob Bar, which ranks third in Esquire magazine's top bars in America in 2007. A great contribution to the city's blossoming economy is Network Translations, Inc, the manufacturer of PIX firewall, which was then purchased by the Cisco Systems' company. The thousands of jobs created by the presence of the university and local colleges also keep the Athens's economy strong.

Floating shelves with live edge. Photo by Cary Norton.
Inspiration for a small modern single-wall kitchen pantry remodel in Birmingham with no island

A Financial Institution in Frederick wanted an open and welcoming view for customers and employees. The solution- out with the verticals and in with solar shades! Solar shades provide view, reduce heat, and ultra violet rays. They are ideal for commercial offices, restaurants, hospitals, nursing homes, banks, outdoor patios, screened in porches, and more! One of the best features of solar shades is there is not a horizontal surface collecting dust! They are low maintenance and provide a clean, modern look!

Stuart Wade, Envision Virtual Tours Envision Virtual Tours is a group of professional photographers who specialize in high resolution photography in The Athens Georgia Area. Athens, a unified city-county with Clarke County is located in the northeastern part of Georgia. This college town is where the University of Georgia is located. The university, which was founded in the 1800s, was responsible for the city's initial growth. Athens is the fifth largest city in the state of Georgia and in 2009 had an estimated population of 114, 983. Athens is located in a place that was once a trading settlement along the banks of Oconee River, called the Cedar Shoals. College and Universities There are three prominent colleges in Athens: the University of Georgia (UGA), the Athens Technical College (ATC) and the Piedmont College. The University of Georgia is the oldest and the largest of all the state's higher learning institutions and is a public research university. UGA had its first building made from logs. Additional funds for school construction were raised from the money they got by selling the adjacent lots to the college, which was then made to help the town grow. It was 1804 when the first class graduated from the university. Athens by that time consisted of three stores, three homes, and few buildings all facing Broad Street, previously known as the Front Street. Another college was completed in 1806 and was named to honor Benjamin Franklin, Franklin College, which is the University of Georgia and Athens' first stable structure. Currently, the brick building is known as Old College. Athens Technical College is a public college in Athens offering diplomas, certificates as well as associate degrees in health, business, manufacturing and technical related fields. Piedmont college on the other hand is an institution for private liberal arts founded in 1897 in service to the residents of Appalachian area in the northeast part of the state. Athens: In & Around Town Culture is coexisting with students from the university with the creation of a music scene, an art scene and an intellectual environment. The city has lots of unusual treasures. One remarkable aspect is the remains of one of the two double barreled cannons which were produced from the American Civil War. Another is the famous "Tree That Owns Itself," which is currently the original tree's offspring. The city has two public gardens: the State Botanical Garden of Georgia and the University of Georgia Campus Arboretum. Being a college town, there is an abundance of night life and eateries in Athens. But giving class to the city's night lights are two notable bars: Allen's, which is the oldest bar and the Glob Bar, which ranks third in Esquire magazine's top bars in America in 2007. A great contribution to the city's blossoming economy is Network Translations, Inc, the manufacturer of PIX firewall, which was then purchased by the Cisco Systems' company. The thousands of jobs created by the presence of the university and local colleges also keep the Athens's economy strong.

Benches in Landscaped exterior of bank. Photo by Cary Norton.
Modern exterior home idea in Birmingham

Stuart Wade, Envision Virtual Tours Envision Virtual Tours is a group of professional photographers who specialize in high resolution photography in The Athens Georgia Area. Athens, a unified city-county with Clarke County is located in the northeastern part of Georgia. This college town is where the University of Georgia is located. The university, which was founded in the 1800s, was responsible for the city's initial growth. Athens is the fifth largest city in the state of Georgia and in 2009 had an estimated population of 114, 983. Athens is located in a place that was once a trading settlement along the banks of Oconee River, called the Cedar Shoals. College and Universities There are three prominent colleges in Athens: the University of Georgia (UGA), the Athens Technical College (ATC) and the Piedmont College. The University of Georgia is the oldest and the largest of all the state's higher learning institutions and is a public research university. UGA had its first building made from logs. Additional funds for school construction were raised from the money they got by selling the adjacent lots to the college, which was then made to help the town grow. It was 1804 when the first class graduated from the university. Athens by that time consisted of three stores, three homes, and few buildings all facing Broad Street, previously known as the Front Street. Another college was completed in 1806 and was named to honor Benjamin Franklin, Franklin College, which is the University of Georgia and Athens' first stable structure. Currently, the brick building is known as Old College. Athens Technical College is a public college in Athens offering diplomas, certificates as well as associate degrees in health, business, manufacturing and technical related fields. Piedmont college on the other hand is an institution for private liberal arts founded in 1897 in service to the residents of Appalachian area in the northeast part of the state. Athens: In & Around Town Culture is coexisting with students from the university with the creation of a music scene, an art scene and an intellectual environment. The city has lots of unusual treasures. One remarkable aspect is the remains of one of the two double barreled cannons which were produced from the American Civil War. Another is the famous "Tree That Owns Itself," which is currently the original tree's offspring. The city has two public gardens: the State Botanical Garden of Georgia and the University of Georgia Campus Arboretum. Being a college town, there is an abundance of night life and eateries in Athens. But giving class to the city's night lights are two notable bars: Allen's, which is the oldest bar and the Glob Bar, which ranks third in Esquire magazine's top bars in America in 2007. A great contribution to the city's blossoming economy is Network Translations, Inc, the manufacturer of PIX firewall, which was then purchased by the Cisco Systems' company. The thousands of jobs created by the presence of the university and local colleges also keep the Athens's economy strong.

Stuart Wade, Envision Virtual Tours Envision Virtual Tours is a group of professional photographers who specialize in high resolution photography in The Athens Georgia Area. Athens, a unified city-county with Clarke County is located in the northeastern part of Georgia. This college town is where the University of Georgia is located. The university, which was founded in the 1800s, was responsible for the city's initial growth. Athens is the fifth largest city in the state of Georgia and in 2009 had an estimated population of 114, 983. Athens is located in a place that was once a trading settlement along the banks of Oconee River, called the Cedar Shoals. College and Universities There are three prominent colleges in Athens: the University of Georgia (UGA), the Athens Technical College (ATC) and the Piedmont College. The University of Georgia is the oldest and the largest of all the state's higher learning institutions and is a public research university. UGA had its first building made from logs. Additional funds for school construction were raised from the money they got by selling the adjacent lots to the college, which was then made to help the town grow. It was 1804 when the first class graduated from the university. Athens by that time consisted of three stores, three homes, and few buildings all facing Broad Street, previously known as the Front Street. Another college was completed in 1806 and was named to honor Benjamin Franklin, Franklin College, which is the University of Georgia and Athens' first stable structure. Currently, the brick building is known as Old College. Athens Technical College is a public college in Athens offering diplomas, certificates as well as associate degrees in health, business, manufacturing and technical related fields. Piedmont college on the other hand is an institution for private liberal arts founded in 1897 in service to the residents of Appalachian area in the northeast part of the state. Athens: In & Around Town Culture is coexisting with students from the university with the creation of a music scene, an art scene and an intellectual environment. The city has lots of unusual treasures. One remarkable aspect is the remains of one of the two double barreled cannons which were produced from the American Civil War. Another is the famous "Tree That Owns Itself," which is currently the original tree's offspring. The city has two public gardens: the State Botanical Garden of Georgia and the University of Georgia Campus Arboretum. Being a college town, there is an abundance of night life and eateries in Athens. But giving class to the city's night lights are two notable bars: Allen's, which is the oldest bar and the Glob Bar, which ranks third in Esquire magazine's top bars in America in 2007. A great contribution to the city's blossoming economy is Network Translations, Inc, the manufacturer of PIX firewall, which was then purchased by the Cisco Systems' company. The thousands of jobs created by the presence of the university and local colleges also keep the Athens's economy strong.

Stuart Wade, Envision Virtual Tours Envision Virtual Tours is a group of professional photographers who specialize in high resolution photography in The Athens Georgia Area. Athens, a unified city-county with Clarke County is located in the northeastern part of Georgia. This college town is where the University of Georgia is located. The university, which was founded in the 1800s, was responsible for the city's initial growth. Athens is the fifth largest city in the state of Georgia and in 2009 had an estimated population of 114, 983. Athens is located in a place that was once a trading settlement along the banks of Oconee River, called the Cedar Shoals. College and Universities There are three prominent colleges in Athens: the University of Georgia (UGA), the Athens Technical College (ATC) and the Piedmont College. The University of Georgia is the oldest and the largest of all the state's higher learning institutions and is a public research university. UGA had its first building made from logs. Additional funds for school construction were raised from the money they got by selling the adjacent lots to the college, which was then made to help the town grow. It was 1804 when the first class graduated from the university. Athens by that time consisted of three stores, three homes, and few buildings all facing Broad Street, previously known as the Front Street. Another college was completed in 1806 and was named to honor Benjamin Franklin, Franklin College, which is the University of Georgia and Athens' first stable structure. Currently, the brick building is known as Old College. Athens Technical College is a public college in Athens offering diplomas, certificates as well as associate degrees in health, business, manufacturing and technical related fields. Piedmont college on the other hand is an institution for private liberal arts founded in 1897 in service to the residents of Appalachian area in the northeast part of the state. Athens: In & Around Town Culture is coexisting with students from the university with the creation of a music scene, an art scene and an intellectual environment. The city has lots of unusual treasures. One remarkable aspect is the remains of one of the two double barreled cannons which were produced from the American Civil War. Another is the famous "Tree That Owns Itself," which is currently the original tree's offspring. The city has two public gardens: the State Botanical Garden of Georgia and the University of Georgia Campus Arboretum. Being a college town, there is an abundance of night life and eateries in Athens. But giving class to the city's night lights are two notable bars: Allen's, which is the oldest bar and the Glob Bar, which ranks third in Esquire magazine's top bars in America in 2007. A great contribution to the city's blossoming economy is Network Translations, Inc, the manufacturer of PIX firewall, which was then purchased by the Cisco Systems' company. The thousands of jobs created by the presence of the university and local colleges also keep the Athens's economy strong.

川沿いに建つカフェハウス　photo by 竹田 宗司
Example of a mid-sized minimalist master white tile and porcelain tile bathroom design in Other

Stuart Wade, Envision Virtual Tours Envision Virtual Tours is a group of professional photographers who specialize in high resolution photography in The Athens Georgia Area. Athens, a unified city-county with Clarke County is located in the northeastern part of Georgia. This college town is where the University of Georgia is located. The university, which was founded in the 1800s, was responsible for the city's initial growth. Athens is the fifth largest city in the state of Georgia and in 2009 had an estimated population of 114, 983. Athens is located in a place that was once a trading settlement along the banks of Oconee River, called the Cedar Shoals. College and Universities There are three prominent colleges in Athens: the University of Georgia (UGA), the Athens Technical College (ATC) and the Piedmont College. The University of Georgia is the oldest and the largest of all the state's higher learning institutions and is a public research university. UGA had its first building made from logs. Additional funds for school construction were raised from the money they got by selling the adjacent lots to the college, which was then made to help the town grow. It was 1804 when the first class graduated from the university. Athens by that time consisted of three stores, three homes, and few buildings all facing Broad Street, previously known as the Front Street. Another college was completed in 1806 and was named to honor Benjamin Franklin, Franklin College, which is the University of Georgia and Athens' first stable structure. Currently, the brick building is known as Old College. Athens Technical College is a public college in Athens offering diplomas, certificates as well as associate degrees in health, business, manufacturing and technical related fields. Piedmont college on the other hand is an institution for private liberal arts founded in 1897 in service to the residents of Appalachian area in the northeast part of the state. Athens: In & Around Town Culture is coexisting with students from the university with the creation of a music scene, an art scene and an intellectual environment. The city has lots of unusual treasures. One remarkable aspect is the remains of one of the two double barreled cannons which were produced from the American Civil War. Another is the famous "Tree That Owns Itself," which is currently the original tree's offspring. The city has two public gardens: the State Botanical Garden of Georgia and the University of Georgia Campus Arboretum. Being a college town, there is an abundance of night life and eateries in Athens. But giving class to the city's night lights are two notable bars: Allen's, which is the oldest bar and the Glob Bar, which ranks third in Esquire magazine's top bars in America in 2007. A great contribution to the city's blossoming economy is Network Translations, Inc, the manufacturer of PIX firewall, which was then purchased by the Cisco Systems' company. The thousands of jobs created by the presence of the university and local colleges also keep the Athens's economy strong.

Stuart Wade, Envision Virtual Tours Envision Virtual Tours is a group of professional photographers who specialize in high resolution photography in The Athens Georgia Area. Athens, a unified city-county with Clarke County is located in the northeastern part of Georgia. This college town is where the University of Georgia is located. The university, which was founded in the 1800s, was responsible for the city's initial growth. Athens is the fifth largest city in the state of Georgia and in 2009 had an estimated population of 114, 983. Athens is located in a place that was once a trading settlement along the banks of Oconee River, called the Cedar Shoals. College and Universities There are three prominent colleges in Athens: the University of Georgia (UGA), the Athens Technical College (ATC) and the Piedmont College. The University of Georgia is the oldest and the largest of all the state's higher learning institutions and is a public research university. UGA had its first building made from logs. Additional funds for school construction were raised from the money they got by selling the adjacent lots to the college, which was then made to help the town grow. It was 1804 when the first class graduated from the university. Athens by that time consisted of three stores, three homes, and few buildings all facing Broad Street, previously known as the Front Street. Another college was completed in 1806 and was named to honor Benjamin Franklin, Franklin College, which is the University of Georgia and Athens' first stable structure. Currently, the brick building is known as Old College. Athens Technical College is a public college in Athens offering diplomas, certificates as well as associate degrees in health, business, manufacturing and technical related fields. Piedmont college on the other hand is an institution for private liberal arts founded in 1897 in service to the residents of Appalachian area in the northeast part of the state. Athens: In & Around Town Culture is coexisting with students from the university with the creation of a music scene, an art scene and an intellectual environment. The city has lots of unusual treasures. One remarkable aspect is the remains of one of the two double barreled cannons which were produced from the American Civil War. Another is the famous "Tree That Owns Itself," which is currently the original tree's offspring. The city has two public gardens: the State Botanical Garden of Georgia and the University of Georgia Campus Arboretum. Being a college town, there is an abundance of night life and eateries in Athens. But giving class to the city's night lights are two notable bars: Allen's, which is the oldest bar and the Glob Bar, which ranks third in Esquire magazine's top bars in America in 2007. A great contribution to the city's blossoming economy is Network Translations, Inc, the manufacturer of PIX firewall, which was then purchased by the Cisco Systems' company. The thousands of jobs created by the presence of the university and local colleges also keep the Athens's economy strong.

This project began with an entirely overgrown side yard. The project required us to remove and dispose of almost all vegetation in this area. We removed and saved many of the lilies that were already existing and used them in the completed project. Beyond the lilies, we also placed peonies, hostas, other plant material, and also the flagstone stepping stones. This was a project that looked like an entirely new space once it was completed