Photography By Joe Dodd
Photo of a large contemporary backyard gravel landscaping in San Francisco with a fire pit.

Interior staircase of an AIA East Bay Award-winning new construction home in the Berkeley Hills, CA. A two-story floating open-riser stair with hardwood treads suspended from a vertical black steel rod balustrade rises the full height of the board-formed concrete retaining wall. The hillside itself expressed as the home's most powerful interior material. The vertical steel rod balustrade creates a rhythmic screen of fine black lines against the raw concrete texture, while the continuous steel-framed skylight slot above floods the stair volume with natural light that rakes across the board-formed horizontal grain. An oak wall-mounted handrail runs the full height of the concrete wall on the right.

This 27 square foot powder room is by far the smallest space in this 3,200 square foot home in Nicasio CA. Where some might restrain themselves from highlighting such a utilitarian space, we elevated this tiny room to one of the most unique spaces in the home. The powder room sits behind a board-formed concrete wall adjacent to the front door of the home. In conjunction with our structural engineer and a master-mason, we developed a way to embed ¾” planks of acrylic into the South facing concrete wall. During the day, the acrylic captures the intense sun (while the concrete keeps the space temperate) creating a vibrant and entirely unexpected light show when one opens the powder room door. From the outside though, the acrylic planks appear simply as dark striations in the concrete. At night though, a timed light inside the bathroom illuminates the backside of the wall and creates a glowing nightlight at the front door. The constraints of board-formed concrete and the sequencing of this type of construction determined a pattern that could both retain the material integrity of the concrete while pushing its limits. In addition, the requirements for the vertical members of rebar created a staggered pattern that suggests a sense of movement; a theme that is carried throughout the project. After several experimental concrete pours, the final detail turned a typical powder room into a design feature that pushes the limits of material and construction and jolts our preconceptions of what lies behind a simple bathroom door. The wall appears to transform -- from solid to penetrable, from tame to wild, from utilitarian to spectacle, from dark and stoic to light-filled and poetic. Bruce Damonte

Family room of a new construction single-level home in Orinda, CA. A partial-height board-formed concrete wall anchors the living area, a freestanding architectural volume that defines the family room from the bedroom hallway beyond while allowing light and air to flow above it, a structural and spatial device rooted in mid-century modern planning principles. Wall-mounted flat screen television centered on the concrete wall above a long mid-century walnut credenza with sliding panel doors. A sculptural multi-globe chandelier with five white frosted glass spheres suspended on individual stems from a dark walnut canopy hangs above the seating area, the room's most striking decorative moment. Two slate blue upholstered armchairs with exposed walnut frames echo the kitchen's slate blue cabinet palette, flanking a sculptural walnut oval coffee table with brass legs and a white marble top. Geometric cream and grey area rug beneath. Walnut slatted room divider panel and integrated wine refrigerator visible at left.

Concrete hearth,Fireplace surround,Board Form Concrete
Example of a mid-sized minimalist open concept family room library design in Orange County with white walls and a standard fireplace

The beautifully landscaped entry creates a welcoming atmosphere to greet guests.
Design ideas for a large contemporary front yard stone driveway in San Francisco.

Teak floored shower
Large mountain style gray tile and cement tile dark wood floor doorless shower photo in New York with a console sink, light wood cabinets, wood countertops, a wall-mount toilet, gray walls and brown countertops

Photos by Jeff Fountain
Inspiration for a rustic concrete floor hallway remodel in Seattle with brown walls

Large cottage l-shaped concrete floor open concept kitchen photo in San Francisco with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, paneled appliances and an island

The board formed concrete wall, Ipe deck, stairs and privacy fence provide a secluded area for the cedar spa. New York bluestone is used at the bottom of the steps.

A series of board-formed concrete retaining walls anchor the building into the site and provide opportunities for planting. Large folding glass doors allow the house to completely open to the exterior. Photo: Steve King.

Tricia Shay Photography
Inspiration for a mid-sized contemporary wooden straight concrete floor, open and cable railing staircase remodel in Milwaukee

Photos by Roehner + Ryan
Small minimalist one-story concrete patio photo in Phoenix

This custom residential home located in the Oakland Hills highlights the intricate attention to detail and high level of craftsmanship that a seamless collaboration between designers and builders can produce. The challenging sloped site necessitated an extensive stepped concrete foundation and retaining wall. The foundation provided opportunities to celebrate craft, with exposed board-formed concrete walls on the interior.

Tricia Shay Photography
Inspiration for a mid-sized contemporary concrete floor and brown floor great room remodel in Milwaukee with a two-sided fireplace and white walls

Concrete board formed tile fireplace surround and floating concrete hearth Orange County California
Inspiration for a modern living room remodel in Orange County

Concrete board formed tile fireplace surround and floating concrete hearth Orange County California
Example of a minimalist living room design in Orange County

Powder room of a ground-up new construction home in the Berkeley Hills, CA, as featured on America ByDesign on CBS. A compact floating multicolor large-aggregate terrazzo vanity block. Slim chrome-frame rectangular mirror above the shelf. Brass disc wall sconce with frosted globe casting warm light. Concealed wall-hung toilet with white dual-flush plate at right. Raw board-formed concrete accent wall at right — the seismic foundation wall expressed as the powder room's feature surface, its horizontal timber grain texture visible in raking artificial light. White oak hardwood floors. New Construction - Fold House - Berkeley Hills CA - CB Architecture + Design

Concrete Hearth,Concret surround Board Form
Mid-sized minimalist open concept family room library photo in Orange County with white walls and a standard fireplace