Built for one of the most restrictive sites we've ever worked on, the Wolf-Huang Lake House will face the sunset views over Lake Orange. ​ Inspired by the architect's love of houseboats and trips to Amsterdam to visit them, this house has the feeling that it could indeed be launched right into the Lake to float along the banks. ​ Despite the incredibly limited allowable building area, we were able to get the Tom and Yiqing's building program to fit in just right. A generous living and dining room faces the beautiful water view with large sliding glass doors and picture windows. There are three comfortable bedrooms, withe the Main Bedroom and a luxurious bathroom also facing the lake. ​ We hope our clients will feel that this is like being on vacation all the time, except without crowded flights and long lines! ​ Buildsense was the General Contractor for this project.

The now dated 90s bath Katie spent her childhood splashing in underwent a full-scale renovation under her direction. The goal: Bring it down to the studs and make it new, without wiping away its roots. Details and materials were carefully selected to capitalize on the room’s architecture and to embrace the home’s traditional form. The result is a bathroom that feels like it should have been there from the start. Featured on HAVEN and in Rue Magazine Spring 2022.

This project successfully reclaims a beautiful Tribeca loft space from the dysfunctional layout and dated decor of previous renovations. The project’s main goal was to establish a stronger division between the public and private areas of the apartment by switching the locations of the kitchen and bedroom. By moving the master bedroom adjacent to the existing bathroom and adding a new powder room off the kitchen, the new layout allows for a much stronger delineation between private and public functions. The new bedroom area features new closets, a separate nursery room, and custom walnut headboard shelves. A new operable translucent-panel wall gives privacy to the bedroom, while maintaining a loft-like feel. The adjoining bathroom was renovated to restore the original high ceilings and provide for a new tub, shower stall and walnut vanity. The new kitchen includes custom walnut cabinets, a single-piece Pietra Cardosa countertop island, a walk-in pantry with separate laundry room closet, and new designer fixtures and appliances.

his spectacular full home renovation was done on a townhome in Downtown Vancouver. During the home renovation, we removed the second bedroom’s closet to increase the room’s square footage. We then transformed the storage room into a dual purpose coat closet for the main entrance and a new walk-in closet for the second bedroom. In the bathrooms, we installed high-end fixtures from Kohler and Kallista, an overhead rain shower and handheld unit combo, custom high-gloss acrylic vanity cabinets, quartz countertops and backsplash, heated flooring with programmable thermostat control, LED pot lighting, custom fit and fabricated glass shower door and wall, and Italian high-end porcelain tiles throughout. The living room now features a panel ceiling with LED pot lighting and 3-way dimmable light switches. To add a touch of sophistication to the room, we included a luxury wall mounted electric fireplace. Our team completely transformed the kitchen from a typical ‘L’ shape design to a ‘flow-through’ design, complete with an island. We also updated the kitchen with custom cabinets, quartz countertops, a handmade Spanish tile backsplash, an induction cooktop, and LED pot lighting throughout. This townhome also features brand new wide plank engineered hardwood flooring, custom fabricated steps, and high-end appliances. The final stand-out feature of this home has to be the rooftop deck which is hard to come by in downtown Vancouver!

This detached accessory dwelling unit/garage combo was a labor of love by the homeowner to provide a place for family to comfortably live independently. Everyone involved is proud of the workmanship. This project was a part of the Residential Infill Pilot Program. Over 150 yards of dirt/mud was removed. Our mason successfully matched the brick to the main home. The vaulted ceiling and short wall give the living space an open feel. This project is a perfect example of a homeowner working with the government and the trades to achieve a new space that blends in with the neighborhood.

The project involved completely renovating and expanding a 1970’s contemporary style prefab kit house. Three principal concerns drove the programming and design of the Project: To create comfortable and sufficient living quarters for the two families that own the dwelling together; to transform the aesthetic of the dated structure; and to create an energy-efficient and low-maintenance second home for the Clients. Among the changes made to achieve the Clients’ goals were: a new Entrance Vestibule with plenty of hanging space for coats, ample room for boots and shoes, and cubbies for accessories; a Ski and Board Locker Room; an additional Bedroom and Bathroom; an expanded Great Room / Kitchen; and enlarged bathrooms. New rooflines, traditional double-hung windows, and barn-red lap siding with board-and-batten detailing, brought about the metamorphosis of the dull, disheveled little house into a bright and happy vernacular Vermont home. Energy-efficient windows, a high-efficiency heat-circulating fireplace, energy-saving plumbing fixtures and appliances, and a double, “Galvalume” standing-seam metal roof with a high solar reflectance index were incorporated to significantly increase the energy-efficiency of the home. Finally, eaves were extended to protect siding and windows, and exterior and interior finishes were carefully selected to make this second home a low maintenance proposition for its owners.

This three-story vacation home for a family of ski enthusiasts features 5 bedrooms and a six-bed bunk room, 5 1/2 bathrooms, kitchen, dining room, great room, 2 wet bars, great room, exercise room, basement game room, office, mud room, ski work room, decks, stone patio with sunken hot tub, garage, and elevator. The home sits into an extremely steep, half-acre lot that shares a property line with a ski resort and allows for ski-in, ski-out access to the mountain’s 61 trails. This unique location and challenging terrain informed the home’s siting, footprint, program, design, interior design, finishes, and custom made furniture. Credit: Samyn-D'Elia Architects

his spectacular full home renovation was done on a townhome in Downtown Vancouver. During the home renovation, we removed the second bedroom’s closet to increase the room’s square footage. We then transformed the storage room into a dual purpose coat closet for the main entrance and a new walk-in closet for the second bedroom. In the bathrooms, we installed high-end fixtures from Kohler and Kallista, an overhead rain shower and handheld unit combo, custom high-gloss acrylic vanity cabinets, quartz countertops and backsplash, heated flooring with programmable thermostat control, LED pot lighting, custom fit and fabricated glass shower door and wall, and Italian high-end porcelain tiles throughout. The living room now features a panel ceiling with LED pot lighting and 3-way dimmable light switches. To add a touch of sophistication to the room, we included a luxury wall mounted electric fireplace. Our team completely transformed the kitchen from a typical ‘L’ shape design to a ‘flow-through’ design, complete with an island. We also updated the kitchen with custom cabinets, quartz countertops, a handmade Spanish tile backsplash, an induction cooktop, and LED pot lighting throughout. This townhome also features brand new wide plank engineered hardwood flooring, custom fabricated steps, and high-end appliances. The final stand-out feature of this home has to be the rooftop deck which is hard to come by in downtown Vancouver!

This system is in an Art Deco home in Bay Harbor Islands Florida. It features an eight link music distribution system. Stereo in the Master Bedroom, Master Bathroom, Patio, Kitchen, Dining room, Living room, Library, Roof Top, Pool area; and Dolby pro & DTS 5.1 Surround Sound in the Media Room. Using a 1080p Broadcast grade Plasma Monitor, BeoSystem 1 scaler and decoder, BeoLab 4000 as center channel, BeoLab 8000, and BeoSound 9000 as an Audio Source. V. Gonzalo Martinez

2019 Silver Winner | PHTA International Awards of Excellence This custom, design-build project in Lincoln, NE is all about attention to detail. A concrete swimming pool, spa and outdoor patio with a 1,600 square foot bar and grill building are the focal points of the outdoor entertaining area. The pool features an infinity-edge spa, natural stone waterfall and slide, swim up bar with levitating stainless steel bar stools, and zero-entry pool edge. It was important to the clients, who are from the Midwest, to incorporate natural stones and colors from the region. The outdoor landscape design also ensures enjoyment and safety for their family and young grandchildren. The pool is a custom shotcrete structure that is 1,147 square feet. It has a beautiful natural stone and shotcrete waterfall with a built in Dolphin slide, and underwater bench. Opposite of the waterfall are five custom-built levitating stainless steel bar stools with an in-pool walk lane and a full swim up bar. A pallet of glass tile gives this natural, freeform pool some shine. The glass-walled, infinity-edge spa features a separate filtration system, heater, pumps and air blower that run off automation. Across from the spa is a custom-cut, flagstone beach entry with LED-lit bubblers for the grandkids. We incorporated the brick and architectural design of the home throughout the outdoor building, and continued this look into the open-concept bar and grill. The bar and grill is over 1,600 square feet and seats 50 with beautiful, hand-tufted booths, bar stools, professional bar equipment, custom granite tops, and even a men’s and women’s bathroom. Two 16’ wide glass bi-folding doors flawlessly incorporate the covered outdoor travertine courtyards, with matching travertine flooring used inside the building. A 27’ linear fire pit with natural stone wall includes five stainless steel scupper boxes to match the bar stools. The project has over 6,000 square feet of “tiramisu” travertine used in the patios and courtyards, including a second natural stone fire pit and seating wall. This project sits on a natural spring, so the entire design was elevated to help mitigate groundwater, and also provide a safer barrier to the pool. A second stream and waterfall are fed by the natural spring runoff water, which is also used for irrigation purposes. This self-contained stream and waterfall extend the enjoyment of the outdoor space further into the season, when the pool system shuts down for the winter months. Large spruce trees and a variety of maples were planted along the property, incorporating natural landscaping materials and design concepts to both provide privacy and manage downhill drainage. The energy-efficient outdoor lighting system is fully programmable for zoning, dimming, and color changing. In addition, the pool pumps and in-pool LED lights are also automated, and all can be programmed from a simple, smartphone app.

Located in the heart of a 1920’s urban neighborhood, this classically designed home went through a dramatic transformation. Several updates over the years had rendered the space dated and feeling disjointed. The main level received cosmetic updates to the kitchen, dining, formal living and family room to bring the decor out of the 90’s and into the 21st century. Space from a coat closet and laundry room was reallocated to the transformation of a storage closet into a stylish powder room. Upstairs, custom cabinetry, built-ins, along with fixture and material updates revamped the look and feel of the bedrooms and bathrooms. But the most striking alterations occurred on the home’s exterior, with the addition of a 24′ x 52′ pool complete with built-in tanning shelf, programmable LED lights and bubblers as well as an elevated spa with waterfall feature. A custom pool house was added to compliment the original architecture of the main home while adding a kitchenette, changing facilities and storage space to enhance the functionality of the pool area. The landscaping received a complete overhaul and Oaks Rialto pavers were added surrounding the pool, along with a lounge space shaded by a custom-built pergola. These renovations and additions converted this residence from well-worn to a stunning, urban oasis.

Our monarch’s television receives no less than the royal treatment as well. Framed by its very own arch painstakingly made from Emser Tile Ancient Tumbled Travertine Mini-OG with 1x2 offset mosaic providing the perfect backdrop to your favorite programs while relaxing with the fruits of the vineyard. The tub front is accented with Emser's Vista “Sight” Pattern mosaic blend to match the shower. The muted scene created by the offset mosaic not only allows the accent on the tub front to take center stage, but won't cause a distraction when watching the TV. Designed By: Robert Griffin Photo Credit: Erin Weaver, Desired Photo

This Jersey City, NJ space was the first permanent ‘home’ for the yoga studio, so it was essential for us to listen well and design a space to serve their needs for years to come. Through our design process, we helped to guide the owners through the fit-out of their new studio location that required minimal demolition and disruption to the existing space. Together, we converted a space originally used as a preschool into a welcoming, spacious yoga studio for local yogis. We created one main yoga studio by combining four small classrooms into a single larger space with new walls, while all the other program spaces (including designated areas for holistic treatments, massage, and bodywork) were accommodated into pre-existing rooms. Our team completed all demo, sheetrock, electrical, and painting aspects of the project. (The studio owners did some of the work themselves, and a different company installed the flooring and carpets.) The results speak for themselves: a peaceful, restorative space to facilitate health and healing for the studio’s community. Looking to renovate your place of business? Contact the Houseplay team; we’ll help make it happen! Photo Credit: Anne Ruthmann Photography

Paul came to us with a very tight site a couple of blocks from the town centre. A great lot, but the program required for the site was stretching the limits of the site. With the final design, we ended up being at 99.99% of our allowable buildable area! The home contains a compact two bedroom suite accessed from the rear of the property. Wrapping around this is a huge two car garage, with enough space for the owners trucks and motorbikes. The lounge and kitchen are open plan and have large doors out to the west. A double height entry creates a feature opening, with a single run of stairs up to the upper floor. Here, three large bedrooms and two bathrooms fill the space, some with vaulted ceilings. The master bedroom has sliding doors that open to a private west facing balcony. The craftmanship and skill in woodwork throughout the building is exemplary and a real testament to the skilled guy and girls at Tree Construction who built the home.

What started as a kitchen and two-bathroom remodel evolved into a full home renovation plus conversion of the downstairs unfinished basement into a permitted first story addition, complete with family room, guest suite, mudroom, and a new front entrance. We married the midcentury modern architecture with vintage, eclectic details and thoughtful materials.

Budgets for Kitchen Renovations Kitchen remodel budget is the first consideration in this L-shaped kitchen renovation. Client new house purchase was immediately ready for a home renovation. Client started with their kitchen, bathrooms, and laundry room. With a smaller budget a full kitchen renovation was not in order. Cabinets still had a fresh look. However, the kitchen had red and black acrylic countertops. Client kitchen renovation solution is new countertops from our in-stock countertop program. Which provided affordable granite countertops to freshen up the cabinets. As well as adding a favorite white subway tile for the kitchen backsplash. Including the use of a soft grey grout to tie into the countertops. Finally, a satin nickel Schluter trim was used for the edge profile on the tile. Keeping the edge of the tile clean and beautiful.

Adirondack Camp is a spirited interpretation of the local vernacular. Our clients had bought and extensively renovated a small old log cabin on a lake in the Adirondacks a couple of years before coming to us to help them expand the program with three additional bedrooms and bathrooms so that their whole family could be there together. The addition we designed took the form of a tower, with one bedroom and bathroom on each floor, connected to the old cabin by a hyphen which serves as the new entry. The tower is visually a vertical foil to the more horizontal cabin and gives the master bedroom on the top floor a lovely view through the pine trees to the lake. One inspiration for the tower was the old fire towers that patrol the Adirondack mountaintops. The tower was also a practical response to a limited area for expansion. Photography by Robert Benson

It’s a 1928 Tudor home that has tons of vintage charm. The client is looking for an expanded Kitchen with Pantry, a dedicated Mudroom, and an additional Master Bedroom with bathroom. As well as updates throughout the home. They wanted something bright and inviting with a contemporary vintage vibe. The main objective for this 650 SF addition, was to expand the home with an addition that is homogeneous. The beloved style shall remain as true to form as possible with a seamless extension to accommodate additional program needs. The objective was to preserve as much of the existing materials removed during demolition. For the front facade, we mixed the salvaged brick from the demolition with new bricks having the same character. Allowing the addition to seamlessly ties into the existing home. We applied the same approach for the slate roof which also ties seamlessly with the existing. Careful consideration is paid to scale and materials; dormers mimic and complement the existing house and provide opportunities for second floor living under the eaves. The goal was to create rooms that feel spacious and livable yet in scale with the existing rooms. The addition maximizes the use of space and takes into consideration carefully designed details.

It’s a 1928 Tudor home that has tons of vintage charm. The client is looking for an expanded Kitchen with Pantry, a dedicated Mudroom, and an additional Master Bedroom with bathroom. As well as updates throughout the home. They wanted something bright and inviting with a contemporary vintage vibe. The main objective for this 650 SF addition, was to expand the home with an addition that is homogeneous. The beloved style shall remain as true to form as possible with a seamless extension to accommodate additional program needs. The objective was to preserve as much of the existing materials removed during demolition. For the front facade, we mixed the salvaged brick from the demolition with new bricks having the same character. Allowing the addition to seamlessly ties into the existing home. We applied the same approach for the slate roof which also ties seamlessly with the existing. Careful consideration is paid to scale and materials; dormers mimic and complement the existing house and provide opportunities for second floor living under the eaves. The goal was to create rooms that feel spacious and livable yet in scale with the existing rooms. The addition maximizes the use of space and takes into consideration carefully designed details.