Modern glass house set in the landscape evokes a midcentury vibe. A modern gas fireplace divides the living area with a polished concrete floor from the greenhouse with a gravel floor. The frame is painted steel with aluminum sliding glass door. The front features a green roof with native grasses and the rear is covered with a glass roof. Photo by: Peter Vanderwarker Photography

Susan Teare
Example of a mountain style tiny house design in Burlington

With adjacent neighbors within a fairly dense section of Paradise Valley, Arizona, C.P. Drewett sought to provide a tranquil retreat for a new-to-the-Valley surgeon and his family who were seeking the modernism they loved though had never lived in. With a goal of consuming all possible site lines and views while maintaining autonomy, a portion of the house — including the entry, office, and master bedroom wing — is subterranean. This subterranean nature of the home provides interior grandeur for guests but offers a welcoming and humble approach, fully satisfying the clients requests. While the lot has an east-west orientation, the home was designed to capture mainly north and south light which is more desirable and soothing. The architecture’s interior loftiness is created with overlapping, undulating planes of plaster, glass, and steel. The woven nature of horizontal planes throughout the living spaces provides an uplifting sense, inviting a symphony of light to enter the space. The more voluminous public spaces are comprised of stone-clad massing elements which convert into a desert pavilion embracing the outdoor spaces. Every room opens to exterior spaces providing a dramatic embrace of home to natural environment. Grand Award winner for Best Interior Design of a Custom Home The material palette began with a rich, tonal, large-format Quartzite stone cladding. The stone’s tones gaveforth the rest of the material palette including a champagne-colored metal fascia, a tonal stucco system, and ceilings clad with hemlock, a tight-grained but softer wood that was tonally perfect with the rest of the materials. The interior case goods and wood-wrapped openings further contribute to the tonal harmony of architecture and materials. Grand Award Winner for Best Indoor Outdoor Lifestyle for a Home This award-winning project was recognized at the 2020 Gold Nugget Awards with two Grand Awards, one for Best Indoor/Outdoor Lifestyle for a Home, and another for Best Interior Design of a One of a Kind or Custom Home. At the 2020 Design Excellence Awards and Gala presented by ASID AZ North, Ownby Design received five awards for Tonal Harmony. The project was recognized for 1st place – Bathroom; 3rd place – Furniture; 1st place – Kitchen; 1st place – Outdoor Living; and 2nd place – Residence over 6,000 square ft. Congratulations to Claire Ownby, Kalysha Manzo, and the entire Ownby Design team. Tonal Harmony was also featured on the cover of the July/August 2020 issue of Luxe Interiors + Design and received a 14-page editorial feature entitled “A Place in the Sun” within the magazine.

This whole home interior painting and trim upgrade project in Lancaster highlights how a professionally executed finish can completely transform the look, feel, and flow of an entire living space. The project began with a dated interior featuring worn paint, visible wall imperfections, and aging trim that no longer reflected a clean, modern aesthetic. While the home’s structure remained solid, the overall appearance felt dull and lacked the brightness, consistency, and refinement homeowners are looking for today. Our team began with a comprehensive preparation process across the entire home, which is one of the most critical steps in achieving a high-quality and long-lasting paint finish. Every surface was carefully cleaned, patched, and sanded to create a smooth and uniform base. All floors, fixtures, and furnishings were fully protected using professional-grade coverings, and trim lines throughout the home were precisely taped to ensure sharp, clean edges. This level of preparation not only enhances the final appearance but also ensures durability and consistency from room to room. As the project progressed, premium-quality paints were applied using a combination of rolling and precision cutting techniques to achieve a smooth, even finish across all wall and ceiling surfaces. The selected color palette focused on modern, neutral tones designed to maximize natural light and create a cohesive, open feel throughout the home. At the same time, all trim, baseboards, and interior details were upgraded with a crisp white finish, adding contrast, depth, and a polished look that ties every space together. During the final stages, detailed touch-ups and trim refinements were completed in every room to achieve a flawless, professional-grade result. Each edge, corner, and transition was carefully inspected and perfected, ensuring consistency and craftsmanship at every level. The transformation is especially noticeable when comparing the before and after, as the home evolves from a worn, outdated environment into a bright, modern, and refreshed living space. Once completed, the home was staged to highlight its full potential and demonstrate how a whole home painting upgrade can dramatically improve both aesthetics and functionality. The final result is a clean, cohesive, and welcoming interior that feels updated, spacious, and move-in ready. Projects like this showcase the value of expert craftsmanship and attention to detail in full-home interior renovations. Whether you are preparing your property for sale or looking to modernize your living space, a whole home interior painting and trim upgrade remains one of the most effective ways to increase both visual appeal and overall property value in Lancaster, MA and surrounding areas. Our team started with a detailed preparation process, which is one of the most critical steps in achieving a high-quality paint finish. All surfaces were carefully cleaned, patched, and sanded to ensure a smooth and even base. Floors and furniture were fully protected using professional-grade coverings, and trim areas were precisely taped to guarantee clean, sharp lines. This level of preparation ensures that the final result is not only visually appealing but also long-lasting. As the painting phase progressed, high-quality paints were applied using a combination of rolling and cutting techniques to create a consistent, smooth finish across all wall surfaces. The color selection focused on modern, neutral tones that enhance natural light and create a more open, inviting atmosphere. At the same time, the trim and baseboards were upgraded with a crisp, clean white finish, adding contrast and definition throughout the space. During the final stages, detailed touch-ups and trim work were completed to achieve a flawless result. Every corner, edge, and transition was carefully inspected and refined, ensuring a professional-grade finish that stands out. The transformation is most noticeable when comparing the before and after stages, where the room evolves from a dated and worn environment into a bright, modern living area. The completed space was then staged to showcase its full potential, demonstrating how a simple upgrade like interior painting and trim work can dramatically improve both aesthetics and functionality. The result is a clean, polished, and welcoming environment that feels refreshed and ready for everyday living. Projects like this demonstrate the impact of expert craftsmanship and attention to detail in interior renovations. Whether you are preparing your home for sale or simply looking to update your living space, professional painting and trim upgrades offer one of the most effective ways to enhance your home’s value and appearance.

This whole home interior painting and trim upgrade project in Lancaster highlights how a professionally executed finish can completely transform the look, feel, and flow of an entire living space. The project began with a dated interior featuring worn paint, visible wall imperfections, and aging trim that no longer reflected a clean, modern aesthetic. While the home’s structure remained solid, the overall appearance felt dull and lacked the brightness, consistency, and refinement homeowners are looking for today. Our team began with a comprehensive preparation process across the entire home, which is one of the most critical steps in achieving a high-quality and long-lasting paint finish. Every surface was carefully cleaned, patched, and sanded to create a smooth and uniform base. All floors, fixtures, and furnishings were fully protected using professional-grade coverings, and trim lines throughout the home were precisely taped to ensure sharp, clean edges. This level of preparation not only enhances the final appearance but also ensures durability and consistency from room to room. As the project progressed, premium-quality paints were applied using a combination of rolling and precision cutting techniques to achieve a smooth, even finish across all wall and ceiling surfaces. The selected color palette focused on modern, neutral tones designed to maximize natural light and create a cohesive, open feel throughout the home. At the same time, all trim, baseboards, and interior details were upgraded with a crisp white finish, adding contrast, depth, and a polished look that ties every space together. During the final stages, detailed touch-ups and trim refinements were completed in every room to achieve a flawless, professional-grade result. Each edge, corner, and transition was carefully inspected and perfected, ensuring consistency and craftsmanship at every level. The transformation is especially noticeable when comparing the before and after, as the home evolves from a worn, outdated environment into a bright, modern, and refreshed living space. Once completed, the home was staged to highlight its full potential and demonstrate how a whole home painting upgrade can dramatically improve both aesthetics and functionality. The final result is a clean, cohesive, and welcoming interior that feels updated, spacious, and move-in ready. Projects like this showcase the value of expert craftsmanship and attention to detail in full-home interior renovations. Whether you are preparing your property for sale or looking to modernize your living space, a whole home interior painting and trim upgrade remains one of the most effective ways to increase both visual appeal and overall property value in Lancaster, MA and surrounding areas. Our team started with a detailed preparation process, which is one of the most critical steps in achieving a high-quality paint finish. All surfaces were carefully cleaned, patched, and sanded to ensure a smooth and even base. Floors and furniture were fully protected using professional-grade coverings, and trim areas were precisely taped to guarantee clean, sharp lines. This level of preparation ensures that the final result is not only visually appealing but also long-lasting. As the painting phase progressed, high-quality paints were applied using a combination of rolling and cutting techniques to create a consistent, smooth finish across all wall surfaces. The color selection focused on modern, neutral tones that enhance natural light and create a more open, inviting atmosphere. At the same time, the trim and baseboards were upgraded with a crisp, clean white finish, adding contrast and definition throughout the space. During the final stages, detailed touch-ups and trim work were completed to achieve a flawless result. Every corner, edge, and transition was carefully inspected and refined, ensuring a professional-grade finish that stands out. The transformation is most noticeable when comparing the before and after stages, where the room evolves from a dated and worn environment into a bright, modern living area. The completed space was then staged to showcase its full potential, demonstrating how a simple upgrade like interior painting and trim work can dramatically improve both aesthetics and functionality. The result is a clean, polished, and welcoming environment that feels refreshed and ready for everyday living. Projects like this demonstrate the impact of expert craftsmanship and attention to detail in interior renovations. Whether you are preparing your home for sale or simply looking to update your living space, professional painting and trim upgrades offer one of the most effective ways to enhance your home’s value and appearance.

This whole home interior painting and trim upgrade project in Lancaster highlights how a professionally executed finish can completely transform the look, feel, and flow of an entire living space. The project began with a dated interior featuring worn paint, visible wall imperfections, and aging trim that no longer reflected a clean, modern aesthetic. While the home’s structure remained solid, the overall appearance felt dull and lacked the brightness, consistency, and refinement homeowners are looking for today. Our team began with a comprehensive preparation process across the entire home, which is one of the most critical steps in achieving a high-quality and long-lasting paint finish. Every surface was carefully cleaned, patched, and sanded to create a smooth and uniform base. All floors, fixtures, and furnishings were fully protected using professional-grade coverings, and trim lines throughout the home were precisely taped to ensure sharp, clean edges. This level of preparation not only enhances the final appearance but also ensures durability and consistency from room to room. As the project progressed, premium-quality paints were applied using a combination of rolling and precision cutting techniques to achieve a smooth, even finish across all wall and ceiling surfaces. The selected color palette focused on modern, neutral tones designed to maximize natural light and create a cohesive, open feel throughout the home. At the same time, all trim, baseboards, and interior details were upgraded with a crisp white finish, adding contrast, depth, and a polished look that ties every space together. During the final stages, detailed touch-ups and trim refinements were completed in every room to achieve a flawless, professional-grade result. Each edge, corner, and transition was carefully inspected and perfected, ensuring consistency and craftsmanship at every level. The transformation is especially noticeable when comparing the before and after, as the home evolves from a worn, outdated environment into a bright, modern, and refreshed living space. Once completed, the home was staged to highlight its full potential and demonstrate how a whole home painting upgrade can dramatically improve both aesthetics and functionality. The final result is a clean, cohesive, and welcoming interior that feels updated, spacious, and move-in ready. Projects like this showcase the value of expert craftsmanship and attention to detail in full-home interior renovations. Whether you are preparing your property for sale or looking to modernize your living space, a whole home interior painting and trim upgrade remains one of the most effective ways to increase both visual appeal and overall property value in Lancaster, MA and surrounding areas. Our team started with a detailed preparation process, which is one of the most critical steps in achieving a high-quality paint finish. All surfaces were carefully cleaned, patched, and sanded to ensure a smooth and even base. Floors and furniture were fully protected using professional-grade coverings, and trim areas were precisely taped to guarantee clean, sharp lines. This level of preparation ensures that the final result is not only visually appealing but also long-lasting. As the painting phase progressed, high-quality paints were applied using a combination of rolling and cutting techniques to create a consistent, smooth finish across all wall surfaces. The color selection focused on modern, neutral tones that enhance natural light and create a more open, inviting atmosphere. At the same time, the trim and baseboards were upgraded with a crisp, clean white finish, adding contrast and definition throughout the space. During the final stages, detailed touch-ups and trim work were completed to achieve a flawless result. Every corner, edge, and transition was carefully inspected and refined, ensuring a professional-grade finish that stands out. The transformation is most noticeable when comparing the before and after stages, where the room evolves from a dated and worn environment into a bright, modern living area. The completed space was then staged to showcase its full potential, demonstrating how a simple upgrade like interior painting and trim work can dramatically improve both aesthetics and functionality. The result is a clean, polished, and welcoming environment that feels refreshed and ready for everyday living. Projects like this demonstrate the impact of expert craftsmanship and attention to detail in interior renovations. Whether you are preparing your home for sale or simply looking to update your living space, professional painting and trim upgrades offer one of the most effective ways to enhance your home’s value and appearance.

Christy and Matt have traveled the world, picking up a love of Monet’s garden in France and many unique artifacts along the way. They had accumulated an extensive art collection of their own which expanded to include an eclectic array of folk art inherited from Christy’s mom. With an eye on downsizing, the couple realized their living environment had become cluttered. They wanted a more serene feeling in their home…like a modern version of Monet’s Garden. LiLu’s inspiration began with a new color palette, using green as a neutral and adding a mixture of vibrant colors reminiscent of a garden. Sheer drapes in the living room diffuse the natural light, almost as if the sun is being filtered through a canopy of trees. The design team also brought focus to their art collection by designing custom built-ins to display their artwork. The dark wood finish relates to the color of the custom dining table creating a cohesive composition. The clean-lined furniture features soft curves to suggest a more botanical feel. The result has brought dazzling serenity to this condo hidden among the busy streets of downtown Minneapolis. ---- Project designed by Minneapolis interior design studio LiLu Interiors. They serve the Minneapolis-St. Paul area including Wayzata, Edina, and Rochester, and they travel to the far-flung destinations that their upscale clientele own second homes in. ---- For more about LiLu Interiors, click here: https://www.liluinteriors.com/ ----- To learn more about this project, click here: https://www.liluinteriors.com/blog/portfolio-items/secret-garden/

Dawn D Totty Designs- Condo Living room Design. This High Glam and Classic Design began with the metallic Cork Wallpaper as the focal point to this Condo Space! The Pewter Velvet Sofa was selected and purchased through Factory Furniture with custom designed pillows (all reversible) in layers of grey, pewter and gold. The tripod floor lamp was selected and designed by Dawn D Totty designs and installed by K.R.Totty. A vintage looking LED bulb is the perfect compliment to the fixture. The silvery faux sheep skin rug, sunburst wall mirror and gold table tray staged with candles and pretty accent pieces are just the details to complete this living room design in Chattanooga, TN! By- Dawn D Totty Designs

Stuart Wade, Envision Virtual Tours The second-largest and most developed of Georgia's barrier islands, St. Simons is approximately twelve miles long and nearly three miles wide at its widest stretch (roughly the size of Manhattan Island in New York). The island is located in Glynn County on Georgia's coast and lies east of Brunswick (the seat of Glynn County), south of Little St. Simons Island and the Hampton River, and north of Jekyll Island. The resort community of Sea Island is separated from St. Simons on the east by the Black Banks River. Known for its oak tree canopies and historic landmarks, St. Simons is both a tourist destination and, according to the 2010 U.S. census, home to 12,743 residents. Early History The earliest St. Simons Island Village record of human habitation on the island dates to the Late Archaic Period, about 5,000 to 3,000 years ago. Remnants of shell rings left behind by Native Americans from this era survive on many of the barrier islands, including St. Simons. Centuries later, during the period known by historians as the chiefdom era, the Guale Indians established a chiefdom centered on St. Catherines Island and used St. Simons as their hunting and fishing grounds. By 1500 the Guale had established a permanent village of about 200 people on St. Simons, which they called Guadalquini. Beginning in 1568, the Spanish attempted to create missions along the Georgia coast. Catholic missions were the primary means by which Georgia's indigenous Native American chiefdoms were assimilated into the Spanish colonial system along the northern frontier of greater Spanish Florida. In the 1600s St. Simons became home to two Spanish missions: San Buenaventura de Guadalquini, on the southern tip of the island, and Santo Domingo de Asao (or Asajo), on the northern tip. Located on the inland side of the island were the pagan refugee villages of San Simón, the island's namesake, and Ocotonico. In 1684 pirate raids left the missions and villages largely abandoned. Colonial History As Fort Frederica early as 1670, with Great Britain's establishment of the colony of Carolina and its expansion into Georgia territory, Spanish rule was threatened by the English. The Georgia coast was considered "debatable land" by England and Spain, even though Spain had fully retreated from St. Simons by 1702. Thirty-one years later General James Edward Oglethorpe founded the English settlement of Savannah. In 1736 he established Fort Frederica, named after the heir to the British throne, Frederick Louis, prince of Wales, on the west side of St. Simons Island to protect Savannah and the Carolinas from the Spanish threat. Between 1736 and 1749 Fort Frederica was the hub of British military operations along the Georgia frontier. A town of the same name grew up around the fort and was of great importance to the new colony. By 1740 Frederica's population was 1,000. In 1736 the congregation of what would become Christ Church was organized within Fort Frederica as a mission of the Church of England. Charles Wesley led the first services. In 1742 Britain's decisive victory over Spain in the Battle of Bloody Marsh, during the War of Jenkins' Ear, ended the Spanish threat to the Georgia coast. When the British regimen disbanded in 1749, most of the townspeople relocated to the mainland. Fort Frederica went into decline and, except for a short time of prosperity during the 1760s and 1770s under the leadership of merchant James Spalding, never fully recovered. Today the historic citadel's tabby ruins are maintained by the National Park Service. Plantation Era By the start of the American Revolution (1775-83), Fort Frederica was obsolete, and St. Simons was left largely uninhabited as most of its residents joined the patriot army. Besides hosting a small Georgia naval victory on the Fort Frederica River, providing guns from its famous fort for use at Fort Morris in Sunbury, and serving as an arena for pillaging by privateers and British soldiers, the island played almost no role in the war. Following the war, many of the townspeople, their businesses destroyed, turned to agriculture. The island was transformed into fourteen cotton plantations after acres of live oak trees were cleared for farm land and used for building American warships, including the famous USS Constitution, or "Old Ironsides." Although rice was the predominant crop along the neighboring Altamaha River, St. Simons was known for its production of long-staple cotton, which soon came to be known as Sea Island cotton. Between Ebos Landing the 1780s and the outbreak of the Civil War (1861-65), St. Simons's plantation culture flourished. The saline atmosphere and the availability of cheap slave labor proved an ideal combination for the cultivation of Sea Island cotton. In 1803 a group of Ebo slaves who survived the Middle Passage and arrived on the west side of St. Simons staged a rebellion and drowned themselves. The sacred site is known today as Ebos Landing. One of the largest owners of land and slaves on St. Simons was Pierce Butler, master of Hampton Point Plantation, located on the northern end of the island. By 1793 Butler owned more than 500 slaves, who cultivated 800 acres of cotton on St. Simons and 300 acres of rice on Butler's Island in the Altamaha River delta. Butler's grandson, Pierce Mease Butler, who at the age of sixteen inherited a share of his grandfather's estate in 1826, was responsible for the largest sale of human beings in the history of the United States: in 1859, to restore his squandered fortune, he sold 429 slaves in Savannah for more than $300,000. The British actress and writer Fanny Kemble, whose tumultuous marriage to Pierce ended in divorce in 1849, published an eyewitness account of the evils of slavery on St. Simons in her book Journal of a Residence on a Georgian Plantation in 1838-1839 (1863). Another Retreat Plantation large owner of land and slaves on St. Simons was Major William Page, a friend and employee of Pierce Butler Sr. Before purchasing Retreat Plantation on the southwestern tip of the island in 1804, Page managed the Hampton plantation and Butler's Island. Upon Page's death in 1827, Thomas Butler King inherited the land together with his wife, Page's daughter, Anna Matilda Page King. King expanded his father-in-law's planting empire on St. Simons as well as on the mainland, and by 1835 Retreat Plantation alone was home to as many as 355 slaves. The center of life during the island's plantation era was Christ Church, Frederica. Organized in 1807 by a group of island planters, the Episcopal church is the second oldest in the Diocese of Georgia. Embargoes imposed by the War of 1812 (1812-15) prevented the parishioners from building a church structure, so they worshiped in the home of John Beck, which stood on the site of Oglethorpe's only St. Simons residence, Orange Hall. The first Christ Church building, finished on the present site in 1820, was ruined by occupying Union troops during the Civil War. In 1884 the Reverend Anson Dodge Jr. rebuilt the church as a memorial to his first wife, Ellen. The cruciform building with a trussed gothic roof and stained-glass windows remains active today as Christ Church. Civil War and Beyond The St. Simons Island Lighthouse outbreak of the Civil War in 1861 put a sudden end to St. Simons's lucrative plantation era. In January of that year, Confederate troops were stationed at the south end of the island to guard the entrance to Brunswick Harbor. Slaves from Retreat Plantation, owned by Thomas Butler King, built earthworks and batteries. Plantation residents were scattered—the men joined the Confederate army and their families moved to the mainland. Cannon fire was heard on the island in December 1861, and Confederate troops retreated in February 1862, after dynamiting the lighthouse to keep its beacon from aiding Union troops. Soon thereafter, Union troops occupied the island, which was used as a camp for freed slaves. By August 1862 more than 500 former slaves lived on St. Simons, including Susie King Taylor, who organized a school for freed slave children. But in November the ex-slaves were taken to Hilton Head, South Carolina, and Fernandina, Florida, leaving the island abandoned. After the Civil War the island never returned to its status as an agricultural community. The plantations lay dormant because there were no slaves to work the fields. After Union general William T. Sherman's January 1865 Special Field Order No. 15 —a demand that former plantations be divided and distributed to former slaves—was overturned by U.S. president Andrew Johnson less than a year later, freedmen and women were forced to work as sharecroppers on the small farms that dotted the land previously occupied by the sprawling plantations. By St. Simons Lumber Mills 1870 real economic recovery began with the reestablishment of the timber industry. Norman Dodge and Titus G. Meigs of New York set up lumber mill operations at Gascoigne Bluff, formerly Hamilton Plantation. The lumber mills provided welcome employment for both blacks and whites and also provided mail and passenger boats to the mainland. Such water traffic, together with the construction of a new lighthouse in 1872, designed by architect Charles B. Cluskey, marked the beginning of St. Simons's tourism industry. The keeper of the lighthouse created a small amusement park, which drew many visitors, as did the seemingly miraculous light that traveled from the top of the lighthouse tower to the bottom. The island became a summer retreat for families from the mainland, particularly from Baxley, Brunswick, and Waycross. The island's resort industry was thriving by the 1880s. Beachfront structures, such as a new pier and grand hotel, were built on the southeastern end of the island and could be accessed by ferry. Around this time wealthy northerners began vacationing on the island. Twentieth Century The St. Simons Island Pier and Village opening in 1924 of the Brunswick–St. Simons Highway, today known as the Torras Causeway, was a milestone in the development of resorts in the area. St. Simons's beaches were now easily accessible to locals and tourists alike. More than 5,000 automobiles took the short drive from Brunswick to St. Simons via the causeway on its opening day, paving the way for convenient residential and resort development. In 1926 automotive pioneer Howard Coffin of Detroit, Michigan, bought large tracts of land on St. Simons, including the former Retreat Plantation, and constructed a golf course, yacht club, paved roads, and a residential subdivision. Although the causeway had brought large numbers of summer people to the island, St. Simons remained a small community with only a few hundred permanent residents until the 1940s. The St. Simons Island outbreak of World War II (1941-45) brought more visitors and residents to St. Simons. Troops stationed at Jacksonville, Florida; Savannah; and nearby Camp Stewart took weekend vacations on the island, and a new naval air base and radar school became home to even more officers and soldiers. The increased wartime population brought the island its first public school. With a major shipyard for the production of Liberty ships in nearby Brunswick, the waters of St. Simons became active with German U-boats. In April 1942, just off the coast, the Texas Company oil tanker S. S. Oklahoma and the S. S. Esso Baton Rouge were torpedoed by the Germans, bringing the war very close to home for island residents. Due in large part to the military's improvement of the island's infrastructure during the war, development on the island boomed in the 1950s and 1960s. More permanent homes and subdivisions were built, and the island was no longer just a summer resort but also a thriving community. In 1950 the Methodist conference and retreat center Epworth by the Sea opened on Gascoigne Bluff. In 1961 novelist Eugenia Price visited St. Simons and began work on her first works of fiction, known as the St. Simons Trilogy. Inspired by real events on the island, Price's trilogy renewed interest in the history of Georgia's coast, and the novelist herself relocated to the island in 1965 and lived there for thirty-one years. St. Simons is also home to contemporary Georgia writer Tina McElroy Ansa. Since Epworth by the Sea 1980 St. Simons's population has doubled. The island's continued status as a vacation destination and its ongoing development boom have put historic landmarks and natural areas at risk. While such landmarks as the Fort Frederica ruins and the Battle of Bloody Marsh site are preserved and maintained by the National Park Service, and while the historic lighthouse is maintained by the Coastal Georgia Historical Society, historic Ebos Landing has been taken over by a sewage treatment plant. Several coastal organizations have formed in recent years to save natural areas on the island. The St. Simons Land Trust, for example, has received donations of large tracts of land and plans to protect property in the island's three traditional African American neighborhoods. Despite its rapid growth and development, St. Simons remains one of the most beautiful and important islands on the Georgia coast.

The transformation began by sanding the existing hardwood floors and staining them gray, cooling down the atmosphere and proving contrast with the warm tones of the tile. Traditional blue velvet chairs and leather chesterfield style sofa are offset by clean, contemporary coffee and end tables. Crystal lamps provide a classic touch without stealing the spotlight. The original oil painting over the fireplace serves as a dramatic focal point.

With adjacent neighbors within a fairly dense section of Paradise Valley, Arizona, C.P. Drewett sought to provide a tranquil retreat for a new-to-the-Valley surgeon and his family who were seeking the modernism they loved though had never lived in. With a goal of consuming all possible site lines and views while maintaining autonomy, a portion of the house — including the entry, office, and master bedroom wing — is subterranean. This subterranean nature of the home provides interior grandeur for guests but offers a welcoming and humble approach, fully satisfying the clients requests. While the lot has an east-west orientation, the home was designed to capture mainly north and south light which is more desirable and soothing. The architecture’s interior loftiness is created with overlapping, undulating planes of plaster, glass, and steel. The woven nature of horizontal planes throughout the living spaces provides an uplifting sense, inviting a symphony of light to enter the space. The more voluminous public spaces are comprised of stone-clad massing elements which convert into a desert pavilion embracing the outdoor spaces. Every room opens to exterior spaces providing a dramatic embrace of home to natural environment. Grand Award winner for Best Interior Design of a Custom Home The material palette began with a rich, tonal, large-format Quartzite stone cladding. The stone’s tones gaveforth the rest of the material palette including a champagne-colored metal fascia, a tonal stucco system, and ceilings clad with hemlock, a tight-grained but softer wood that was tonally perfect with the rest of the materials. The interior case goods and wood-wrapped openings further contribute to the tonal harmony of architecture and materials. Grand Award Winner for Best Indoor Outdoor Lifestyle for a Home This award-winning project was recognized at the 2020 Gold Nugget Awards with two Grand Awards, one for Best Indoor/Outdoor Lifestyle for a Home, and another for Best Interior Design of a One of a Kind or Custom Home. At the 2020 Design Excellence Awards and Gala presented by ASID AZ North, Ownby Design received five awards for Tonal Harmony. The project was recognized for 1st place – Bathroom; 3rd place – Furniture; 1st place – Kitchen; 1st place – Outdoor Living; and 2nd place – Residence over 6,000 square ft. Congratulations to Claire Ownby, Kalysha Manzo, and the entire Ownby Design team. Tonal Harmony was also featured on the cover of the July/August 2020 issue of Luxe Interiors + Design and received a 14-page editorial feature entitled “A Place in the Sun” within the magazine.

This living room was designed for my great clients that required a stylish and comfortable space for entertaining friends and relaxing after a long day. The barn door was designing custom for this couple. It's double sided, with the same beautiful finish on both sides. We also designed the custom board and batten wall treatment around the perimeter of this space and into the hallway to give the space some depth as well as a great architectural wall feature. Most of the accessories in this space are from Pottery Barn as well as World Market. The sofa was purchased by the homeowners before we began this project. Photography by Amy Bartlam

With adjacent neighbors within a fairly dense section of Paradise Valley, Arizona, C.P. Drewett sought to provide a tranquil retreat for a new-to-the-Valley surgeon and his family who were seeking the modernism they loved though had never lived in. With a goal of consuming all possible site lines and views while maintaining autonomy, a portion of the house — including the entry, office, and master bedroom wing — is subterranean. This subterranean nature of the home provides interior grandeur for guests but offers a welcoming and humble approach, fully satisfying the clients requests. While the lot has an east-west orientation, the home was designed to capture mainly north and south light which is more desirable and soothing. The architecture’s interior loftiness is created with overlapping, undulating planes of plaster, glass, and steel. The woven nature of horizontal planes throughout the living spaces provides an uplifting sense, inviting a symphony of light to enter the space. The more voluminous public spaces are comprised of stone-clad massing elements which convert into a desert pavilion embracing the outdoor spaces. Every room opens to exterior spaces providing a dramatic embrace of home to natural environment. Grand Award winner for Best Interior Design of a Custom Home The material palette began with a rich, tonal, large-format Quartzite stone cladding. The stone’s tones gaveforth the rest of the material palette including a champagne-colored metal fascia, a tonal stucco system, and ceilings clad with hemlock, a tight-grained but softer wood that was tonally perfect with the rest of the materials. The interior case goods and wood-wrapped openings further contribute to the tonal harmony of architecture and materials. Grand Award Winner for Best Indoor Outdoor Lifestyle for a Home This award-winning project was recognized at the 2020 Gold Nugget Awards with two Grand Awards, one for Best Indoor/Outdoor Lifestyle for a Home, and another for Best Interior Design of a One of a Kind or Custom Home. At the 2020 Design Excellence Awards and Gala presented by ASID AZ North, Ownby Design received five awards for Tonal Harmony. The project was recognized for 1st place – Bathroom; 3rd place – Furniture; 1st place – Kitchen; 1st place – Outdoor Living; and 2nd place – Residence over 6,000 square ft. Congratulations to Claire Ownby, Kalysha Manzo, and the entire Ownby Design team. Tonal Harmony was also featured on the cover of the July/August 2020 issue of Luxe Interiors + Design and received a 14-page editorial feature entitled “A Place in the Sun” within the magazine.

Kitchen/dining room: Colorful statement rug by STARK Photo credit: Eric Rorer While we adore all of our clients and the beautiful structures which we help fill and adorn, like a parent adores all of their children, this recent mid-century modern interior design project was a particular delight. This client, a smart, energetic, creative, happy person, a man who, in-person, presents as refined and understated — he wanted color. Lots of color. When we introduced some color, he wanted even more color: Bright pops; lively art. In fact, it started with the art. This new homeowner was shopping at SLATE ( https://slateart.net) for art one day… many people choose art as the finishing touches to an interior design project, however this man had not yet hired a designer. He mentioned his predicament to SLATE principal partner (and our dear partner in art sourcing) Danielle Fox, and she promptly referred him to us. At the time that we began our work, the client and his architect, Jack Backus, had finished up a massive remodel, a thoughtful and thorough update of the elegant, iconic mid-century structure (originally designed by Ratcliff & Ratcliff) for modern 21st-century living. And when we say, “the client and his architect” — we mean it. In his professional life, our client owns a metal fabrication company; given his skills and knowledge of engineering, build, and production, he elected to act as contractor on the project. His eye for metal and form made its way into some of our furniture selections, in particular the coffee table in the living room, fabricated and sold locally by Turtle and Hare. Color for miles: One of our favorite aspects of the project was the long hallway. By choosing to put nothing on the walls, and adorning the length of floor with an amazing, vibrant, patterned rug, we created a perfect venue. The rug stands out, drawing attention to the art on the floor. In fact, the rugs in each room were as thoughtfully selected for color and design as the art on the walls. In total, on this project, we designed and decorated the living room, family room, master bedroom, and back patio. (Visit www.lmbinteriors.com to view the complete portfolio of images.) While my design firm is known for our work with traditional and transitional architecture, and we love those projects, I think it is clear from this project that Modern is also our cup of tea. If you have a Modern house and are thinking about how to make it more vibrantly YOU, contact us for a consultation.

Photo: Kimberley Bryan © 2015 Houzz
Living room - country living room idea in Seattle

With adjacent neighbors within a fairly dense section of Paradise Valley, Arizona, C.P. Drewett sought to provide a tranquil retreat for a new-to-the-Valley surgeon and his family who were seeking the modernism they loved though had never lived in. With a goal of consuming all possible site lines and views while maintaining autonomy, a portion of the house — including the entry, office, and master bedroom wing — is subterranean. This subterranean nature of the home provides interior grandeur for guests but offers a welcoming and humble approach, fully satisfying the clients requests. While the lot has an east-west orientation, the home was designed to capture mainly north and south light which is more desirable and soothing. The architecture’s interior loftiness is created with overlapping, undulating planes of plaster, glass, and steel. The woven nature of horizontal planes throughout the living spaces provides an uplifting sense, inviting a symphony of light to enter the space. The more voluminous public spaces are comprised of stone-clad massing elements which convert into a desert pavilion embracing the outdoor spaces. Every room opens to exterior spaces providing a dramatic embrace of home to natural environment. Grand Award winner for Best Interior Design of a Custom Home The material palette began with a rich, tonal, large-format Quartzite stone cladding. The stone’s tones gaveforth the rest of the material palette including a champagne-colored metal fascia, a tonal stucco system, and ceilings clad with hemlock, a tight-grained but softer wood that was tonally perfect with the rest of the materials. The interior case goods and wood-wrapped openings further contribute to the tonal harmony of architecture and materials. Grand Award Winner for Best Indoor Outdoor Lifestyle for a Home This award-winning project was recognized at the 2020 Gold Nugget Awards with two Grand Awards, one for Best Indoor/Outdoor Lifestyle for a Home, and another for Best Interior Design of a One of a Kind or Custom Home. At the 2020 Design Excellence Awards and Gala presented by ASID AZ North, Ownby Design received five awards for Tonal Harmony. The project was recognized for 1st place – Bathroom; 3rd place – Furniture; 1st place – Kitchen; 1st place – Outdoor Living; and 2nd place – Residence over 6,000 square ft. Congratulations to Claire Ownby, Kalysha Manzo, and the entire Ownby Design team. Tonal Harmony was also featured on the cover of the July/August 2020 issue of Luxe Interiors + Design and received a 14-page editorial feature entitled “A Place in the Sun” within the magazine.

Christina Wedge
Living room - transitional living room idea in Atlanta

Kimberley Bryan © Houzz 2014
Example of an eclectic living room design in Seattle

At the core of this transformation was the client’s aspiration for an open, interconnected space. The removal of barriers between the kitchen, dining, and living areas created an expansive, fluid layout, elevating the home’s ambiance and facilitating seamless interaction among spaces. The new open layout is the perfect space to cook and entertain merging sophistication with functionality. The journey began with the client’s exploration of colors, eventually embracing Benjamin Moore’s Hale Navy blue as the cornerstone for the cabinetry. This choice set the stage for a harmonious palette that tied in with the living and dining room furniture and rugs. Integrating a natural stone countertop became a focal point, incorporating these varied hues while gold fixtures added a touch of luxury and sophistication. Throughout the design process, challenges were met with innovative solutions. Space optimization was key, requiring strategic placement of appliances like a smaller-width refrigerator alongside a pull-out pantry cabinet. The island, a central feature, not only provided additional seating but replaced the need for a separate table and chairs, optimizing the space for gatherings and enhancing the flow between the kitchen and the adjoining areas. The revitalized kitchen now stands as a vibrant hub for social interaction. The homeowner seamlessly integrates into gatherings, no longer confined by kitchen walls, while guests engage effortlessly in the cooking process at the island. This transformation embodies the convergence of beauty and functionality, where every design element tells a story of thoughtful innovation and meticulous attention to detail.