Built in a contemporary, yet distinctly Pacific Northwest style, the Orcas House sits just steps away from the Salish Sea. With special attention given to existing trees, solar exposure and views from the house, this house was built to coexist harmoniously with its surroundings

A certified Brazilian Mahogany double entry door and transom welcome you to this riverside oasis. The Flat Iron Works Foxmoore Collection scones on either side of the entry in high bronze use flicker bulbs, adding an element of drama. Andersen 100 Series windows in dark bronze flank the entry on either side. Real stone cladding the entry pillars, Loon Lake squares and rectangles dry stacked and topped with charcoal colored pier caps. Siding is a blend of vertical and horizontal rough 1x6 cedar planks, stained in to match Benjamin Moore's "Arbor Coat". Glulam beams at entry, corbels and timber accents are stained in "Cordovan Brown". Concrete landing at entry doors and paver pathway.

The exterior patio wraps around the back of the home and has custom planter bordering the patio. This is great place to see the Texas wildlife. This custom home home was built by Silverton Custom Homes and designed by Design Visions. This home was built on the North Shore of lake Travis for two very creative, fantastic individuals that were a pleasure to partner with to turn their vision into reality. photos by Tre Dunham

This is excellent media room to get lost in a move or TV series. This custom home home was built by Silverton Custom Homes and designed by Design Visions. This home was built on the North Shore of lake Travis for two very creative, fantastic individuals that were a pleasure to partner with to turn their vision into reality. photos by Tre Dunham

The cabin typology redux came out of the owner’s desire to have a house that is warm and familiar, but also “feels like you are on vacation.” The basis of the “Hewn House” design starts with a cabin’s simple form and materiality: a gable roof, a wood-clad body, a prominent fireplace that acts as the hearth, and integrated indoor-outdoor spaces. However, rather than a rustic style, the scheme proposes a clean-lined and “hewned” form, sculpted, to best fit on its urban infill lot. The plan and elevation geometries are responsive to the unique site conditions. Existing prominent trees determined the faceted shape of the main house, while providing shade that projecting eaves of a traditional log cabin would otherwise offer. Deferring to the trees also allows the house to more readily tuck into its leafy East Austin neighborhood, and is therefore more quiet and secluded. Natural light and coziness are key inside the home. Both the common zone and the private quarters extend to sheltered outdoor spaces of varying scales: the front porch, the private patios, and the back porch which acts as a transition to the backyard. Similar to the front of the house, a large cedar elm was preserved in the center of the yard. Sliding glass doors open up the interior living zone to the backyard life while clerestory windows bring in additional ambient light and tree canopy views. The wood ceiling adds warmth and connection to the exterior knotted cedar tongue & groove. The iron spot bricks with an earthy, reddish tone around the fireplace cast a new material interest both inside and outside. The gable roof is clad with standing seam to reinforced the clean-lined and faceted form. Furthermore, a dark gray shade of stucco contrasts and complements the warmth of the cedar with its coolness. A freestanding guest house both separates from and connects to the main house through a small, private patio with a tall steel planter bed. Photo by Charles Davis Smith

This spec build was designed and executed By Thomas and Tristan Martin, high-end niche residential developers in Los Angeles. Stunning curb appeal, gauged interior volumes, emancipating exterior areas, fabulous appliance and finish selection, convenient location–this house has it all. The design embraces a contrasting Japanese black/white aesthetic and all details are flourishes of unrepentant modernity.

This modern two-story home was designed and built by Weaver Construction. Subtle, clean lines allow the building materials to be the star of the show. Gendai® Linseed Brown was used as an accent to the metal and stucco. Large windows invite in a view of the city, water and mountains.

Situated on a sloping site with a shared driveway and prescribed parking on the lower level, the home was designed to maximize daylight into the walk-out basement. In placing the parking in the center and wrapping the basement spaces around it, all rooms are afforded exterior views. By locating much of the home’s program below street level, the 3244 s.f. house is able to maintain a scale in keeping with the surrounding residences. The grade along the front of the site was pulled back from the home with stepped retaining walls revealing a sunken garden and above-ground basement walls. An entry bridge allows access to the front door above the sunken garden. UV-responsive, color-changing metal siding and cedar rainscreen clad the flat roof volumes of the home while fiber cement boards encase the shed roof volume. The shed was created to provide passive solar daylighting and conditioning in the vaulted living and dining rooms as well as an ideal surface for future solar panels. The home possesses a myriad of outdoor living spaces including a front balcony and sunken courtyard, side balcony terrace, and rear screened porch and deck above a covered patio. The south side balcony is wrapped with a metal and cedar clad bamboo planter which acts as a privacy screen and shading device. Accessibility was a strong consideration in the design as the homeowners were forward-thinking about aging in place. ADA-sized doorways and thresholds are provided as well as a shelled elevator shaft from the basement level.

Photography by JC Buck
1950s home design photo in Denver

Inspiration for a contemporary exterior home remodel in Philadelphia

Built in a contemporary, yet distinctly Pacific Northwest style, the Orcas House sits just steps away from the Salish Sea. With special attention given to existing trees, solar exposure and views from the house, this house was built to coexist harmoniously with its surroundings

Open concept kitchen - small mid-century modern u-shaped light wood floor, yellow floor and wood ceiling open concept kitchen idea in New York with a single-bowl sink, shaker cabinets, light wood cabinets, marble countertops, green backsplash, ceramic backsplash, paneled appliances, a peninsula and gray countertops

A Vancouver new build pops in a neighborhood full of post-war homes. This custom home was designed in a modern esthetic to reflect a young couple’s happening lifestyle. The working duo plan to start a family so will have little time for home maintenance. At the top of their list of wants were durable, quality materials that perform. Clad in James Hardie with cedar accents, a metal roof and fibreglass powder coating windows this home is set for exceptional longevity.

Built in a contemporary, yet distinctly Pacific Northwest style, the Orcas House sits just steps away from the Salish Sea. With special attention given to existing trees, solar exposure and views from the house, this house was built to coexist harmoniously with its surroundings

This spec build was designed and executed By Thomas and Tristan Martin, high-end niche residential developers in Los Angeles. Stunning curb appeal, gauged interior volumes, emancipating exterior areas, fabulous appliance and finish selection, convenient location–this house has it all. The design embraces a contrasting Japanese black/white aesthetic and all details are flourishes of unrepentant modernity.

The recently constructed asymmetrical Shingle Style home featured in the photo shoot above has all the hallmarks of an American classic. Outside, traditional materials such as continuous cedar wall cladding, cut stone walls with no courses, and multi-pane double hung windows complement traditionally Victorian components such as the hexagonal tower and eyebrow window. A variety of exterior wall mounted lanterns light the front entrance, patios, and garage.

Built in a contemporary, yet distinctly Pacific Northwest style, the Orcas House sits just steps away from the Salish Sea. With special attention given to existing trees, solar exposure and views from the house, this house was built to coexist harmoniously with its surroundings

Built in a contemporary, yet distinctly Pacific Northwest style, the Orcas House sits just steps away from the Salish Sea. With special attention given to existing trees, solar exposure and views from the house, this house was built to coexist harmoniously with its surroundings