Located near Ennis, Montana, this cabin captures the essence of rustic style while maintaining modern comforts. Jack Watkins’ father, the namesake of the creek by which this home is built, was involved in the construction of the Old Faithful Lodge. He originally built the cabin for he and his family in 1917, with small additions and upgrades over the years. The new owners’ desire was to update the home to better facilitate modern living, but without losing the original character. Windows and doors were added, and the kitchen and bathroom were completely remodeled. Well-placed porches were added to further integrate the interior spaces to their adjacent exterior counterparts, as well as a mud room—a practical requirement in rural Montana. Today, details like the unique juniper handrail leading up to the library, will remind visitors and guests of its historical Western roots.

Jane Vorbrodt
Living room - 1960s living room idea in Vancouver with a standard fireplace and a brick fireplace

Kitchen - 1950s kitchen idea in Los Angeles

Resting upon a 120-acre rural hillside, this 17,500 square-foot residence has unencumbered mountain views to the east, south and west. The exterior design palette for the public side is a more formal Tudor style of architecture, including intricate brick detailing; while the materials for the private side tend toward a more casual mountain-home style of architecture with a natural stone base and hand-cut wood siding. Primary living spaces and the master bedroom suite, are located on the main level, with guest accommodations on the upper floor of the main house and upper floor of the garage. The interior material palette was carefully chosen to match the stunning collection of antique furniture and artifacts, gathered from around the country. From the elegant kitchen to the cozy screened porch, this residence captures the beauty of the White Mountains and embodies classic New Hampshire living. Photographer: Joseph St. Pierre

Photo of a contemporary landscaping in DC Metro.

This majestic home was brought back to life with a full gut and remodel. We captured the original characteristics while integrating the modern features. The client wanted to create a space where family and friends can gather and partake in what this wonderful old home has to offer.

Example of a 1950s kitchen design in San Francisco

Architecture & Interior Design: David Heide Design Studio – Photos: Susan Gilmore
Inspiration for a mid-sized contemporary formal and open concept medium tone wood floor and brown floor living room remodel in Minneapolis with beige walls and a wood stove

The family purchased the 1950s ranch on Mullet Lake because their daughter dreamed of being married on its shores. The home would be used for the wedding venue and then as a wedding gift to the young couple. We were originally hired in August 2014 to help with a simple renovation of the home that was to be completed well in advance of the August 2015 wedding date. However, thorough investigation revealed significant issues with the original foundation, floor framing and other critical elements of the home’s structure that made that impossible. Based on this information, the family decided to tear down and build again. So now we were tasked with designing a new home that would embody their daughter’s vision of a storybook home – a vision inspired by another one of our projects that she had toured. To capture this aesthetic, traditional cottage materials such as stone and cedar shakes are accentuated by more materials such as reclaimed barn wood siding and corrugated CORTEN steel accent roofs. Inside, interior finishes include hand-hewn timber accents that frame openings and highlight features like the entrance reading nook. Natural materials shine against white walls and simply furnished rooms. While the house has nods to vintage style throughout, the open-plan kitchen and living area allows for both contemporary living and entertaining. We were able to capture their daughter’s vision and the home was completed on time for her big day. - Jacqueline Southby Photography

A new custom residence in the Harrison Views neighborhood of Issaquah Highlands. The home incorporates high-performance envelope elements (a few of the strategies so far include alum-clad windows, rock wall house wrap insulation, green-roofs and provision for photovoltaic panels). The building site has a unique upper bench and lower bench with a steep slope between them. The siting of the house takes advantage of this topography, creating a linear datum line that not only serves as a retaining wall but also as an organizing element for the home’s circulation. The massing of the home is designed to maximize views, natural daylight and compliment the scale of the surrounding community. The living spaces are oriented to capture the panoramic views to the southwest and northwest, including Lake Washington and the Olympic mountain range as well as Seattle and Bellevue skylines. A series of green roofs and protected outdoor spaces will allow the homeowners to extend their living spaces year-round. With an emphasis on durability, the material palette will consist of a gray stained cedar siding, corten steel panels, cement board siding, T&G fir soffits, exposed wood beams, black fiberglass windows, board-formed concrete, glass railings and a standing seam metal roof. A careful site analysis was done early on to suss out the best views and determine how unbuilt adjacent lots might be developed. The total area is 3,425 SF of living space plus 575 SF for the garage. Photos by Benjamin Benschneider. Architecture by Studio Zerbey Architecture + Design. Cabinets by LEICHT SEATTLE.

This lower-level kitchen adds all the necessary items to entertain in family and friends. This walk-out lower level was designed to capture loads of natural light. This custom home was designed and built by Meadowlark Design+Build in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Photography by Joshua Caldwell.

The site of this single story residence is at the base of the Teton Mountain range with views of canyons and peaks. To respond to this topographical edge condition, the form of the primary living space rises to capture this view. The entry sequence begins by arrival into a south facing “courtyard” defined by the house and an outbuilding. A linear porch accessed from the garage or the exterior leads to the entry. This ‘tail’ of the scheme wraps around itself, culminating at the expansive glazed wall and terrace beyond. Project Year: 2008

Inspiration for a mid-sized contemporary formal and open concept medium tone wood floor and brown floor living room remodel in San Francisco with white walls, no fireplace and no tv

This classical coastal home with architectural details to match has well-placed windows to capture the amazing lakeside views of the property. The 5 bedroom, 3.5 bath home was designed with an open floor plan to provide a casual flow from space to space and affording each room with waterside views. Lakeside blue, grey and white hues are incorporated into the home’s color palette and interspersed with warm wood tones. The classic and efficient custom kitchen with two large islands accommodates day to day living with multiple workspaces and ensures effortless entertaining for larger gatherings. Creative storage solutions are incorporated throughout the kitchen with custom tray dividers, pull outs for spices and pantry items, and wine storage. The home boasts beautiful tile work and detailed trim and built ins throughout. A gorgeous wood burning fireplace in the living room creates a warm gathering space for this young family of four. Though this project is a new build, it maintains an inviting, sense of home and feels as though the family has lived here for years.

Tuscan single front door photo in San Diego with a dark wood front door

This Paradise Valley Estate started as we master planned the entire estate to accommodate this beautifully designed and detailed home to capture a simple Andalusian inspired Mediterranean design aesthetic, designing spectacular views from each room not only to Camelback Mountain, but of the lush desert gardens that surround the entire property. We collaborated with Tamm Marlowe design and Lynne Beyer design for interiors and Wendy LeSeuer for Landscape design.

The family purchased the 1950s ranch on Mullet Lake because their daughter dreamed of being married on its shores. The home would be used for the wedding venue and then as a wedding gift to the young couple. We were originally hired in August 2014 to help with a simple renovation of the home that was to be completed well in advance of the August 2015 wedding date. However, thorough investigation revealed significant issues with the original foundation, floor framing and other critical elements of the home’s structure that made that impossible. Based on this information, the family decided to tear down and build again. So now we were tasked with designing a new home that would embody their daughter’s vision of a storybook home – a vision inspired by another one of our projects that she had toured. To capture this aesthetic, traditional cottage materials such as stone and cedar shakes are accentuated by more materials such as reclaimed barn wood siding and corrugated CORTEN steel accent roofs. Inside, interior finishes include hand-hewn timber accents that frame openings and highlight features like the entrance reading nook. Natural materials shine against white walls and simply furnished rooms. While the house has nods to vintage style throughout, the open-plan kitchen and living area allows for both contemporary living and entertaining. We were able to capture their daughter’s vision and the home was completed on time for her big day. - Jacqueline Southby Photography

Terren Landscapes http://www.terrenlandscapes.com Project Entry: Pembrooke Estate Rain Garden 2014 PLNA Awards for Landscape Excellence Winner Category: Sustainable Landscape &60,000-$120,000 Award Level: Silver Project Description: The client contracted our company to solve multiple existing drainage problems. In a heavy rain event the existing French drain system would overflow, causing water to pool in the driveway. After investigating the system we found that the capacity of the French drain was undersized for the amount of storm water from the large rain events received in recent years. As a result of our findings and at the request of the homeowner, we designed a storm water management system to capture all storm water from the structures on the property and regenerate the underground aquifers for the volume of a 5.8” rainstorm. In addition to the new drain system, the homeowners wanted a rain garden to provide a backdrop for an existing formal garden, provide a habitat for wildlife, and provide screening from an adjacent neighbor. Throughout the design process many challenges were presented, including an existing gas line, which ran directly through the area that best suited the bioswale. The existence of the gas line caused us to alter the shape and depth of the bioswale in some areas. We also inspected the existing downspouts to make sure there were no obstructions that would impede the system’s efficiency, and then conducted a test pit dig to make sure we had sufficient percolation rates for disposal of storm water. To effectively capture the storm water runoff, the existing downspouts were piped from the main house and the large detached garage to a large catch basin located at the low point in the driveway. The driveway catch basin contains two outlet pipes at different elevations within the basin allowing water from smaller rain events to enter the bioswale and rain garden area to percolate into the soil before excess water overflows into a sediment trap which filters out any debris and is then piped to an underground StormTech® pit to slowly percolate into the ground. The other outlet pipe in the driveway catch basin is used for larger storm water events, taking the water directly to the StormTech® pit. Accepting and slowing the velocity of the storm water, mitigation of erosion, and filtering out pollutants contained in the “first flush” of rainfall are the primary functions of the bioswale and rain garden. Planting these areas with mostly native plant species helps carry out these functions while attracting and providing shelter for wildlife. The ‘Niobe’ weeping willow is the centerpiece of the rain garden, connecting with the axis of the existing formal garden. To screen the neighboring property we chose Chamaecyparis nootkatensis ‘Pendula’ for its graceful evergreen habit and tolerance of wet sites. ‘Ivory Halo’ dogwood and Panicum ‘Cloud Nine’ were used for screening as well as winter interest. To provide deciduous structure to the garden Taxodium distichum and Magnolia virginiana were used in conjunction with witch hazel. Mostly native wetland perennials were used due to their tolerance of wet conditions and occasional drought. The area above the StormTech® pit provides space for the client’s family to relax. The rain garden and bioswale provide screening, storm water management, a habitat for wildlife, and plants that enhance the adjacent formal garden. Photo Credit: Terren Landscapes

This residential compound includes a primary residence, guesthouse, barn, dining pavilion and entry gate. The distinctive form of the architecture is derived from the Teton Range extending to the south. To respond to this phenomenon, the ridge of the gable roof is angled to allow the north wall to gently rise toward the west, mimicking the line of the mountains. The south wall naturally rises to the east capturing the preferred morning light. The materials - wood, rusted steel, copper panels, and stone - form a monochromatic palette to reinforce the sculptural energy of each building. A.I.A. Western Mountain Region Design Award of Citation 2005 A.I.A. Wyoming Chapter Design Award of Honor 2004 Project Year: Pre-2005