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This is an example of a coastal full sun hillside stone retaining wall landscape in Seattle.

A shallow display cabinet with a blue bead board back and 10mm thick glass shelves is the perfect spot for easy access to the wine glasses. Atarah Humphreys

Master bedroom with access onto exterior deck that both frames views to landscape and leads down to new patio courtyard between new addition and existing house. The idea is one can be in bed and feel like surrounding by trees and sky. Intended to be a calm and relaxing environment. Mark Schatz

As readers of architect/designer Katie Hutchison’s book The New Cottage (Taunton Press 2018), these homeowners approached KHS about designing a second home in Westerly, Rhode Island. Theirs is a double-long lot with street frontage on both ends, a short walk from the water. In addition to the new house, their wish list included a new lap pool (with associated patio) and new garage. Aesthetically, they were looking to create an informally elegant, human-scaled family compound, engaged with the site and connected with the outdoors. They further requested sustainable features/systems and low-maintenance materials. In response, KHS proposed an ell-shaped house that wraps two sides of a lap pool/patio. A porch-fronted two-story gabled component faces the main street and is flanked by the one-story primary suite in one leg of the ell and the one-story kitchen and rear porches in the other leg of the ell. The house is an efficient +/- 2800 square-feet and contains four bedrooms and three and one half bathrooms. A salt-box inspired garage is detached so as not to increase the building massing. It helps shape outdoor spaces and doesn’t block daylight and direct exterior access from the house. It faces the secondary street. Driveways off both streets offer different modes of arrival. The south-facing roof of the two-story volume – which includes three bedrooms and two baths – and the south-facing one-story roof of the kitchen and rear porches, as well as the south-facing roof of the garage support 47 photovoltaic solar panels, providing the bulk of the property’s electric power. Two oversized exterior folding glass doors off the living area and kitchen blur the boundary between indoors and outdoors, welcoming abundant daylight, views of the pool and patio, as well as summer breezes. An airy living/dining area includes a long custom window seat and borders a semi-open kitchen beneath a cathedral ceiling. Living area built-in shelving frames a TV and surrounds a modern efficient pellet stove. A cheerful interior palette of soft hues features pops of color, Scandinavian wallpapers, custom textiles, and a dash of warm wood accents in the form of counters, built-in desks, and custom furnishings. On the exterior, natural shingles side the main volume and environmentally friendly and durable Boral board-and-batten side the one-story components and garage, communicating a legible hierarchy of spaces. The overall effect is a breezy, crisp New England home, pool patio, and garage for today’s living.

The client approached us as he had a property that benefited from an elevated position and water views over the Georges River. The current home needed a change to the layout, additional bedrooms and living spaces that captured the magnificent views and catering for their retirement. The existing property had a garage, rumpus room and two terrace’s within the front setback along the boundary which needed to remain as part of the proposal as it would not be permissible to reinstate them under the current planning rules. The floor plan of the development is meticulous in providing for the needs of the client. As seniors in their 70’s we were keen to provide easy access on a steep sloping block. The driveway, lift and elevation of the main floor level adjacent to the rear garden has achieved this brilliantly. Enjoyment of the stunning views over the river was of paramount importance and this has been elegantly achieved. There are great views from all three terraces, the entire upper floor, including the master bedroom, the lift, the rear patio and rear garden. The highlight of this home, however, is the enthusiastic manner which, both the client and designer approached the picturesque views. Large double glazed windows and doors optimally located provide wonderful thermal efficiency and a seamless connection between indoors and outdoors whilst ensuring privacy from neighbouring sites. The light and airy feeling in this space is complemented with the natural coastal finishes prevalent throughout the home.

NARI CAPITAL COTY, HONORABLE MENTION AWARD WINNER, RESIDENTIAL KITCHEN $50,000 TO $100,000 The owners of this Mount Vernon home purchased it with plans to remodel the kitchen. The original space was tired, dark and disorganized. A peninsula separated the kitchen from the breakfast area and the adjacent sunroom was only accessed via a single door. The back pantry was poorly designed and there was no logic to the kitchen’s work space. The first step in this stunning transformation involved replacing the original peninsula with a large central island. Built using espresso stained furniture-quality cabinets with icon legs, open bottoms and exotic dark granite countertops, all kitchen traffic now flows around the island. The outside wall of the kitchen, featuring a 48” Thermador range, stainless steel range hood and glass tile backsplash, is the focal point of the new space. A stainless steel farm-style sink sits beneath one of two large windows that provide lots of natural light into the room. To the right, sits a 48” Sub Zero refrigerator/freezer. The wall adjacent to the family room was never used properly. Now it is home to two tall pantries, double ovens and a microwave. Creative pass through arches let the homeowner attend to guests while preparing food in the kitchen. The butler area adjacent to the dining room is filled with glass front cabinetry and additional cabinetry for extra storage. The kitchen is now part of an open concept design flowing from kitchen to dining room to sun room. By replacing a bearing wall with a structural header, traffic can flow from one room to the next making it brighter and more conducive to entertaining. More spacious than ever, this new kitchen is the hub of the home for this couple who love to cook and entertain.

This spacious 2-story home features a welcoming front porch and 2-car side entry garage with mudroom. A dramatic 2-story ceiling in the Foyer creates a grand impression upon entering the home. The Foyer is flanked by the Study to the left and the Living Room to the right. Off of the Living Room is the Formal Dining Room adorned by chair rail with elegant block detail. The Kitchen with stainless steel appliances and convenient island opens to the sunny Breakfast Area with sliding glass door access to backyard patio. The spacious Family Room features a cozy gas fireplace and triple windows providing plenty of natural light. The second floor boast all 4 bedrooms, 2 full bathrooms, and a laundry room. The Owner’s Suite with truncated ceiling features an expansive closet and private bathroom with 5’ shower and double bowl vanity with cultured marble top.

The homeowners wanted a refresh for their primary bath. They wanted to keep their maple vanity and upper cabinets and demo the rest. They requested accessible features - a curbless shower with a large bench and a grab bar for seated showers and a large grab bar at the back of the new soaking tub. The interior designer showed them traditional large format Carrara Marble tile and they wanted it throughout including the shower walls, tub surround and shelf for products and vanity wall. A traditional black and white Carrara marble basket weave was installed in the shower floor. The herringbone vanity marble wall has two inset mirrors for a clean look. Two classic polished chrome vanity lights with square linen glass globes provide ample light.

This roomy 1-story home includes a 2-car garage with a mudroom entry, a welcoming front porch, back yard deck, daylight basement, and heightened 9’ ceilings throughout. The Kitchen, Breakfast Area, and Great Room share an open floor plan with plenty of natural light, and sliding glass door access to the deck from the Breakfast Area. A cozy gas fireplace with stone surround, flanked by windows, adorns the spacious Great Room. The Kitchen opens to the Breakfast Area and Great Room with a wrap-around breakfast bar counter for eat-in seating, and includes a pantry and stainless steel appliances. At the front of the home, the formal Dining Room includes triple windows, an elegant chair rail with block detail, and crown molding. The Owner’s Suite is quietly situated back a hallway and features an elegant truncated ceiling in the bedroom, a private bath with a 5’ shower and cultured marble double vanity top, and a large walk-in closet.

Extraordinary 28-foot wide Queen Anne mansion perched on historic Hudson Street, one of Hoboken’s most coveted blocks. Custom built in 1901, this home has been respectfully restored to showcase the original features and thoughtfully renovated to include an elevator servicing all four levels of this exceptional 6,600+ square foot, 7+ bedroom, 5½ bathroom home. Anchored on a 40×100 foot lot with a timeless façade and storybook stone turret, 925 Hudson Street’s appeal is further enhanced by beautifully scaled rooms, balanced with intimate spaces thus transforming this house into a true family home. The parlor level takes careful consideration to function and flow beginning at the dramatic foyer, flanked by an original fireplace mantle and pocket doors. The drawing room opens to a formal dining room, elevator and powder room. At the rear of the home, the great room provides a flexible, family friendly space with dining nook and an open kitchen with access to the rear yard. Glittering with natural light, the second floor master retreat encompasses a lounge warmed by a working gas fireplace with original mantle and surround, sleeping quarters, dressing hall and en-suite bath. Luxurious and functional, the master bathroom is well appointed with an oversized marble steam shower with barrel ceiling, free standing Victoria + Albert volcanic limestone bath, radiant heat flooring and separate water closet. The remainder of the second and third floors are comprised of five additional bedrooms, home office, three full baths and crowned by an original oval sky light and wide top floor corridor featuring a full wet bar with stone counter and refrigerator. From the terraced front area with mature plantings, to the newly finished side and back yards, the 925 Hudson Street is surrounded by greenery and inviting outdoor spaces. The rear lawn features an Ipé deck, low maintenance SynLawn, fire and water features. An automatic drip irrigation system services the planting beds and the wall of Hornbeam trees provide beauty in every season. Ideal for au pair suite, guest quarters or revenue generating rental, the garden level includes a private 1,000 sq. ft., 2 bedroom 1 bath apartment with a separate entrance. This floor is further outfitted with ample built-in storage, wine closet, and laundry room. Truly a one of a kind home with intricate hardwood flooring, classic plaster moldings, soaring ceilings, original pocket doors, shutters, 3 decorative fireplace mantles and 3 working gas fireplaces, 7 zone central heating and cooling system and a state of the art Control4 fully automated home with security, sound, lighting and HVAC controls. Call today to schedule a private viewing. - See more at: 925hudson.com

Eilien and Kim's property relatively small property is located at the end of a long oak-tree-lined driveway. Once past the huge 55" oak tree, the property reveals a grove of 40" redwoods, as well as two gargantuan 65" redwoods smack dab in the middle of the buildable area. Eilien and Kim desired a home that celebrates these beautiful mature trees and that blended the indoor-outdoor barrier. The home that Aardvark Architecture designed for their family takes the shape of a pseudo-courtyard home built right up to the critical root zones of the gargantuan redwoods in the middle of the lot. Full-height sliding glass doors are centered on these huge trees and open directly onto a large deck built tight to these unique feature trees. A rich material palette of redwood siding and brick veneer blends in harmoniously with the serenely wooded site. Large banks of skylights allow for views of the huge oak tree canopy that would otherwise have been blocked off by other spaces. The second floor is accessed by a light-filled staircase that wraps around a redwood-clad elevator shaft. When coming down the stairs, the full-height windows direct the eye towards a grove of 40" redwood trees. The second floor hosts a luxurious master suite, as well as a second bedroom and a home gym. These spaces are raised up into the canopy of the mature redwood and oak trees, and incorporate full-height windows so the residents can take full advantage of these beautiful specimens.

Designer Danielle Lardani's clients love to cook, so they desired a new kitchen that appealed to them stylistically, while also supporting their passion for cooking. They wanted to include features that would make cooking together both efficient and enjoyable. Danielle fulfilled their dreams by creating a stunning, contemporary design that seamlessly matched the style of the rest of their home. She selected a horizontal, textured laminate by Wynnbrooke Cabinetry for the base perimeter cabinets, with a contrasting prep zone featuring Décor Cabinets in a Behr custom color, Adirondack Blue. To increase the efficiency of the space, the layout of the kitchen was reconfigured to create a more functional work triangle between the range, the refrigerator, and the sink. The new layout allows the homeowners to prep, cook and serve food with ease. To further enhance the modern look of the kitchen and accommodate her clients’ wishes, she chose floating shelves and a full-height backsplash to give the space a more open feel. Notable Design Details: - Danielle designed the new layout to include ample counter space for food prep. - She installed integrated lighting under the floating shelves and the upper cabinets in the prep-zone area to brighten these work spaces. - Danielle included a custom dish drawer in her cabinetry design. This optimized storage and allowed dinnerware to be easily accessible. - The knife block and utensil pull-out organizer keeps the clients’ cooking tools neat while also keeping them at arms reach.

TJC Architect: This TJC Architect designed beach home makes the most of an odd shaped, corner lot. This three story structure with traditional detailing boasts a Great Room, a Guest suite and an attached garage on the first floor. Take the stairs or the elevator to the second floor where every bedroom has it's own private balcony. The third floor loft has access to the roof top deck, where you have ocean views even though the beach is several blocks away. A pool in the back yard completes the package.

Designer Danielle Lardani's clients love to cook, so they desired a new kitchen that appealed to them stylistically, while also supporting their passion for cooking. They wanted to include features that would make cooking together both efficient and enjoyable. Danielle fulfilled their dreams by creating a stunning, contemporary design that seamlessly matched the style of the rest of their home. She selected a horizontal, textured laminate by Wynnbrooke Cabinetry for the base perimeter cabinets, with a contrasting prep zone featuring Décor Cabinets in a Behr custom color, Adirondack Blue. To increase the efficiency of the space, the layout of the kitchen was reconfigured to create a more functional work triangle between the range, the refrigerator, and the sink. The new layout allows the homeowners to prep, cook and serve food with ease. To further enhance the modern look of the kitchen and accommodate her clients’ wishes, she chose floating shelves and a full-height backsplash to give the space a more open feel. Notable Design Details: - Danielle designed the new layout to include ample counter space for food prep. - She installed integrated lighting under the floating shelves and the upper cabinets in the prep-zone area to brighten these work spaces. - Danielle included a custom dish drawer in her cabinetry design. This optimized storage and allowed dinnerware to be easily accessible. - The knife block and utensil pull-out organizer keeps the clients’ cooking tools neat while also keeping them at arms reach.

Extraordinary 28-foot wide Queen Anne mansion perched on historic Hudson Street, one of Hoboken’s most coveted blocks. Custom built in 1901, this home has been respectfully restored to showcase the original features and thoughtfully renovated to include an elevator servicing all four levels of this exceptional 6,600+ square foot, 7+ bedroom, 5½ bathroom home. Anchored on a 40×100 foot lot with a timeless façade and storybook stone turret, 925 Hudson Street’s appeal is further enhanced by beautifully scaled rooms, balanced with intimate spaces thus transforming this house into a true family home. The parlor level takes careful consideration to function and flow beginning at the dramatic foyer, flanked by an original fireplace mantle and pocket doors. The drawing room opens to a formal dining room, elevator and powder room. At the rear of the home, the great room provides a flexible, family friendly space with dining nook and an open kitchen with access to the rear yard. Glittering with natural light, the second floor master retreat encompasses a lounge warmed by a working gas fireplace with original mantle and surround, sleeping quarters, dressing hall and en-suite bath. Luxurious and functional, the master bathroom is well appointed with an oversized marble steam shower with barrel ceiling, free standing Victoria + Albert volcanic limestone bath, radiant heat flooring and separate water closet. The remainder of the second and third floors are comprised of five additional bedrooms, home office, three full baths and crowned by an original oval sky light and wide top floor corridor featuring a full wet bar with stone counter and refrigerator. From the terraced front area with mature plantings, to the newly finished side and back yards, the 925 Hudson Street is surrounded by greenery and inviting outdoor spaces. The rear lawn features an Ipé deck, low maintenance SynLawn, fire and water features. An automatic drip irrigation system services the planting beds and the wall of Hornbeam trees provide beauty in every season. Ideal for au pair suite, guest quarters or revenue generating rental, the garden level includes a private 1,000 sq. ft., 2 bedroom 1 bath apartment with a separate entrance. This floor is further outfitted with ample built-in storage, wine closet, and laundry room. Truly a one of a kind home with intricate hardwood flooring, classic plaster moldings, soaring ceilings, original pocket doors, shutters, 3 decorative fireplace mantles and 3 working gas fireplaces, 7 zone central heating and cooling system and a state of the art Control4 fully automated home with security, sound, lighting and HVAC controls. Call today to schedule a private viewing. - See more at: 925hudson.com

Rare to market! Picture perfect 2 bedroom, 2 bath with garage parking and balcony at the Gate, an award winning steel and concrete, elevator building on sought after corner of uptown Bloomfield Street. Timeless galley kitchen with classic white cabinetry, granite counters, stainless steel appliances and wine refrigeration. Separate dining room features unique gray exposed brick pass through to kitchen and access to private balcony. Master suite features large walk-in closet with tailored built-ins, freshly refinished hardwood floors, in home washer/dryer and central heat and air. Across from NYC bus, gym and uptown Farmer’s Market. Just blocks from ferry, shopping, dining and nightlife.

A dilapidated addition at the rear of this Glebe home was removed and replaced. The floor area was increased which made it possible to substantially increase the size of the kitchen while improving the visual connection to the quiet park and pond adjacent to the property. The room exudes a calm elegance; subtle paint colours and white oak flooring create a tranquil atmosphere, while trim and plaster mouldings are used to highlight and define openings. Two doorways link the kitchen to the formal dining room – making entertaining and hosting dinner parties a dream. Traditional and antique fixtures and furnishings such as the armoire, the table and chairs in the breakfast nook, glass-fronted cabinetry, and European style windows all enhance the old world charm of the house. The kitchen features a bay window and sitting area which has picturesque views of the park. A French door gives direct access to the back terrace. A sleek black and stainless faucet and dramatic chandelier create contrast in the all-white kitchen. Caesarstone countertops, glass-front cabinets, and crown mouldings tie into the home’s Parisian-inspired interior. Photography: Adrien Williams

Large cottage l-shaped medium tone wood floor and brown floor eat-in kitchen photo in Boston with a farmhouse sink, beaded inset cabinets, white cabinets, quartzite countertops, white backsplash, subway tile backsplash, white appliances and an island

Our clients in Bloomfield Michigan wanted their old wooden steps replaced with something safe, sturdy and beautiful. We installed 35 natural guillotine cut stone steps each weighing over 200 lbs. To soften the slope we incorporated tumbled paver landings. Along with a stepping stone pathway to the dock we installed a tumbled block seating wall. Both sides were enhanced with lots of perennials to add color and interest. Landscape lighting was installed to add beauty and safety in the evenings. Landforms Inc.