Inspiration for a rustic home design remodel in Toronto

The Sonoma Farmhaus project was designed for a cycling enthusiast with a globally demanding professional career, who wanted to create a place that could serve as both a retreat of solitude and a hub for gathering with friends and family. Located within the town of Graton, California, the site was chosen not only to be close to a small town and its community, but also to be within cycling distance to the picturesque, coastal Sonoma County landscape. Taking the traditional forms of farmhouse, and their notions of sustenance and community, as inspiration, the project comprises an assemblage of two forms - a Main House and a Guest House with Bike Barn - joined in the middle by a central outdoor gathering space anchored by a fireplace. The vision was to create something consciously restrained and one with the ground on which it stands. Simplicity, clear detailing, and an innate understanding of how things go together were all central themes behind the design. Solid walls of rammed earth blocks, fabricated from soils excavated from the site, bookend each of the structures. According to the owner, the use of simple, yet rich materials and textures...“provides a humanness I’ve not known or felt in any living venue I’ve stayed, Farmhaus is an icon of sustenance for me".

Photo: Rikki Snyder © 2014 Houzz
Inspiration for a farmhouse landscaping in New York.

Ward Jewell, AIA was asked to design a comfortable one-story stone and wood pool house that was "barn-like" in keeping with the owner’s gentleman farmer concept. Thus, Mr. Jewell was inspired to create an elegant New England Stone Farm House designed to provide an exceptional environment for them to live, entertain, cook and swim in the large reflection lap pool. Mr. Jewell envisioned a dramatic vaulted great room with hand selected 200 year old reclaimed wood beams and 10 foot tall pocketing French doors that would connect the house to a pool, deck areas, loggia and lush garden spaces, thus bringing the outdoors in. A large cupola “lantern clerestory” in the main vaulted ceiling casts a natural warm light over the graceful room below. The rustic walk-in stone fireplace provides a central focal point for the inviting living room lounge. Important to the functionality of the pool house are a chef’s working farm kitchen with open cabinetry, free-standing stove and a soapstone topped central island with bar height seating. Grey washed barn doors glide open to reveal a vaulted and beamed quilting room with full bath and a vaulted and beamed library/guest room with full bath that bookend the main space. The private garden expanded and evolved over time. After purchasing two adjacent lots, the owners decided to redesign the garden and unify it by eliminating the tennis court, relocating the pool and building an inspired "barn". The concept behind the garden’s new design came from Thomas Jefferson’s home at Monticello with its wandering paths, orchards, and experimental vegetable garden. As a result this small organic farm, was born. Today the farm produces more than fifty varieties of vegetables, herbs, and edible flowers; many of which are rare and hard to find locally. The farm also grows a wide variety of fruits including plums, pluots, nectarines, apricots, apples, figs, peaches, guavas, avocados (Haas, Fuerte and Reed), olives, pomegranates, persimmons, strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, and ten different types of citrus. The remaining areas consist of drought-tolerant sweeps of rosemary, lavender, rockrose, and sage all of which attract butterflies and dueling hummingbirds. Photo Credit: Laura Hull Photography. Interior Design: Jeffrey Hitchcock. Landscape Design: Laurie Lewis Design. General Contractor: Martin Perry Premier General Contractors

Ward Jewell, AIA was asked to design a comfortable one-story stone and wood pool house that was "barn-like" in keeping with the owner’s gentleman farmer concept. Thus, Mr. Jewell was inspired to create an elegant New England Stone Farm House designed to provide an exceptional environment for them to live, entertain, cook and swim in the large reflection lap pool. Mr. Jewell envisioned a dramatic vaulted great room with hand selected 200 year old reclaimed wood beams and 10 foot tall pocketing French doors that would connect the house to a pool, deck areas, loggia and lush garden spaces, thus bringing the outdoors in. A large cupola “lantern clerestory” in the main vaulted ceiling casts a natural warm light over the graceful room below. The rustic walk-in stone fireplace provides a central focal point for the inviting living room lounge. Important to the functionality of the pool house are a chef’s working farm kitchen with open cabinetry, free-standing stove and a soapstone topped central island with bar height seating. Grey washed barn doors glide open to reveal a vaulted and beamed quilting room with full bath and a vaulted and beamed library/guest room with full bath that bookend the main space. The private garden expanded and evolved over time. After purchasing two adjacent lots, the owners decided to redesign the garden and unify it by eliminating the tennis court, relocating the pool and building an inspired "barn". The concept behind the garden’s new design came from Thomas Jefferson’s home at Monticello with its wandering paths, orchards, and experimental vegetable garden. As a result this small organic farm, was born. Today the farm produces more than fifty varieties of vegetables, herbs, and edible flowers; many of which are rare and hard to find locally. The farm also grows a wide variety of fruits including plums, pluots, nectarines, apricots, apples, figs, peaches, guavas, avocados (Haas, Fuerte and Reed), olives, pomegranates, persimmons, strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, and ten different types of citrus. The remaining areas consist of drought-tolerant sweeps of rosemary, lavender, rockrose, and sage all of which attract butterflies and dueling hummingbirds. Photo Credit: Laura Hull Photography. Interior Design: Jeffrey Hitchcock. Landscape Design: Laurie Lewis Design. General Contractor: Martin Perry Premier General Contractors

Huge beach style beige two-story stone exterior home photo in Miami

Architecture: Sutro Architects Landscape Architecture: Arterra Landscape Architects Builder: Upscale Construction Photography: Christopher Stark
Minimalist exterior home photo in San Francisco

This beautiful modern style coop we built and installed has found its home in beautiful Newport Beach, CA! It is a match to the lovely landscape design and complimentary to their house style. Built with true construction grade materials, wood milled and planed on site for uniformity, heavily weatherproofed, 1/2" opening german aviary wire for full predator protection Measures 11 1/2' long x 42" wide x 6' tall for full walk in access, elevated from the ground and fitted into the size of an elevated planter bed. It is home to 4 beautiful rare and exotic chickens that we provided as well as all the necessary implements. Features thermal composite corrugated roofing, a fold down door that doubles as a coop-to-run ramp, custom match paint scheme and more!

This beautiful modern style coop we built and installed has found its home in beautiful Newport Beach, CA! It is a match to the lovely landscape design and complimentary to their house style. Built with true construction grade materials, wood milled and planed on site for uniformity, heavily weatherproofed, 1/2" opening german aviary wire for full predator protection Measures 11 1/2' long x 42" wide x 6' tall for full walk in access, elevated from the ground and fitted into the size of an elevated planter bed. It is home to 4 beautiful rare and exotic chickens that we provided as well as all the necessary implements. Features thermal composite corrugated roofing, a fold down door that doubles as a coop-to-run ramp, custom match paint scheme and more!

Located on a sprawling 50-acre equestrian estate in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, a historic barn ruin was meticulously transformed into a luxurious, one-of-a-kind residence. This exquisite home beautifully marries the rustic charm of traditional post-and-beam construction with the elegance of modern luxury. Central to the design is a deep respect for the site’s heritage. The home incorporates reclaimed wood and stone salvaged from the property alongside new materials, carefully integrated into the architecture to preserve the narrative of a Pennsylvania bank barn. The thoughtful use of materials ensures the legacy of the barn is honored while elevating it to meet the standards of modern living. Serving as a testament to timeless craftsmanship, the converted barn residence features post-and-beam construction. The home’s design offers a harmonious blend of intimate living spaces and expansive entertaining areas. Four comfortable bedrooms provide ample accommodation, while the open concept main level seamlessly connects to a lower level entertainment space. The lower level opens to the courtyard and pool deck, creating a resort-like retreat within the estate’s pastoral landscape. Indoor-outdoor flow makes it an ideal setting for gatherings and large-scale entertaining, all set against the backdrop of rural Bucks County’s serene surroundings.

SaA was hired to design a state-of-the-art 2,100 sq ft recording studio and performance space. We negotiated the purchase and disassembly of a rural barn in upstate New York. The lumber was then graded and coded in Texas and shipped to our site for a modern-day barn-raising, deep within a Redwood grove. The studio is a part of a larger design for a family retreat, including five new or renovated buildings on this wooded 80-acre site. Photo by Bruce Damonte

Transitional porch idea in Minneapolis

Inspiration for a transitional kitchen remodel in Minneapolis

Michael Conway, Means-of-Production
Home design - huge cottage home design idea in Boston

The owners requested a Private Resort that catered to their love for entertaining friends and family, a place where 2 people would feel just as comfortable as 42. Located on the western edge of a Wisconsin lake, the site provides a range of natural ecosystems from forest to prairie to water, allowing the building to have a more complex relationship with the lake - not merely creating large unencumbered views in that direction. The gently sloping site to the lake is atypical in many ways to most lakeside lots - as its main trajectory is not directly to the lake views - allowing for focus to be pushed in other directions such as a courtyard and into a nearby forest. The biggest challenge was accommodating the large scale gathering spaces, while not overwhelming the natural setting with a single massive structure. Our solution was found in breaking down the scale of the project into digestible pieces and organizing them in a Camp-like collection of elements: - Main Lodge: Providing the proper entry to the Camp and a Mess Hall - Bunk House: A communal sleeping area and social space. - Party Barn: An entertainment facility that opens directly on to a swimming pool & outdoor room. - Guest Cottages: A series of smaller guest quarters. - Private Quarters: The owners private space that directly links to the Main Lodge. These elements are joined by a series green roof connectors, that merge with the landscape and allow the out buildings to retain their own identity. This Camp feel was further magnified through the materiality - specifically the use of Doug Fir, creating a modern Northwoods setting that is warm and inviting. The use of local limestone and poured concrete walls ground the buildings to the sloping site and serve as a cradle for the wood volumes that rest gently on them. The connections between these materials provided an opportunity to add a delicate reading to the spaces and re-enforce the camp aesthetic. The oscillation between large communal spaces and private, intimate zones is explored on the interior and in the outdoor rooms. From the large courtyard to the private balcony - accommodating a variety of opportunities to engage the landscape was at the heart of the concept. Overview Chenequa, WI Size Total Finished Area: 9,543 sf Completion Date May 2013 Services Architecture, Landscape Architecture, Interior Design

Our clients wanted the ultimate modern farmhouse custom dream home. They found property in the Santa Rosa Valley with an existing house on 3 ½ acres. They could envision a new home with a pool, a barn, and a place to raise horses. JRP and the clients went all in, sparing no expense. Thus, the old house was demolished and the couple’s dream home began to come to fruition. The result is a simple, contemporary layout with ample light thanks to the open floor plan. When it comes to a modern farmhouse aesthetic, it’s all about neutral hues, wood accents, and furniture with clean lines. Every room is thoughtfully crafted with its own personality. Yet still reflects a bit of that farmhouse charm. Their considerable-sized kitchen is a union of rustic warmth and industrial simplicity. The all-white shaker cabinetry and subway backsplash light up the room. All white everything complimented by warm wood flooring and matte black fixtures. The stunning custom Raw Urth reclaimed steel hood is also a star focal point in this gorgeous space. Not to mention the wet bar area with its unique open shelves above not one, but two integrated wine chillers. It’s also thoughtfully positioned next to the large pantry with a farmhouse style staple: a sliding barn door. The master bathroom is relaxation at its finest. Monochromatic colors and a pop of pattern on the floor lend a fashionable look to this private retreat. Matte black finishes stand out against a stark white backsplash, complement charcoal veins in the marble looking countertop, and is cohesive with the entire look. The matte black shower units really add a dramatic finish to this luxurious large walk-in shower. Photographer: Andrew - OpenHouse VC

Example of a minimalist patio design in Toronto

This propery is situated on the south side of Centre Island at the edge of an oak and ash woodlands. orignally, it was three properties having one house and various out buildings. topographically, it more or less continually sloped to the water. Our task was to creat a series of terraces that were to house various functions such as the main house and forecourt, cottage, boat house and utility barns. The immediate landscape around the main house was largely masonry terraces and flower gardens. The outer landscape was comprised of heavily planted trails and intimate open spaces for the client to preamble through. As the site was largely an oak and ash woods infested with Norway maple and japanese honey suckle we essentially started with tall trees and open ground. Our planting intent was to introduce a variety of understory tree and a heavy shrub and herbaceous layer with an emphisis on planting native material. As a result the feel of the property is one of graciousness with a challenge to explore.

Inspiration for a farmhouse partial sun backyard brick formal garden in Boston.