The private quart yard entry is a special feature of this home and creates additional living space that is very private and relaxing. 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 project started with the design premise of maximizing the mountain view in combination with utilizing low maintenance and contrasting materials. Orr Concrete was selected as the builder due to technical and planned concrete work. A select grade of Pika-Pika with brown oil finish was chosen for good texture variety and to blend in with the setting.

Royal Building Products Celect Cellular composite siding in Wrought Iron. Marvin Clad Wood Ultimate windows & doors in Ebony. Connecticut Stone blend of CT Split Fieldstone and CT Weathered Fieldstone. Atlas Pinnacle architectural shingles in Pristine Black. Combination of Unilock pavers, stamped concrete and slab stone on patio and hardscape. General contracting by Martin Bros. Contracting, Inc.; Architecture by Helman Sechrist Architecture; Interior Design by Nanci Wirt; Professional Photo by Marie Martin Kinney.

This Gold-LEED home, selected for Domus Best Houses award and nominated for Frame House of the Year Award, it is called Cocoon because its round walls form a Cocoon shape towards northern and western neighbors. This rounded enclosed half of the house provides shelter and privacy. The other glass side of the house, facing south, takes in ocean breezes and open views. The cedar shingle cladding blends in with the historic neighborhood and benefits from local craft traditions. By tuning in to given site conditions, and with the help of environmental technologies such as photovoltaic panels and reflecting rainwater cistern, architectural design serves both the environment and wellbeing.

Located in the Las Ventanas community of Arroyo Grande, this single family residence was designed and built for a couple who desired a contemporary home that fit into the natural landscape. The design solution features multiple decks, including a large rear deck that is cantilevered out from the house and nestled among the trees. Three corners of the house are mitered and built of glass, offering more views of the wooded lot. Organic materials bring warmth and texture to the space. A large natural stone “spine” wall runs from the front of the house through the main living space. Shower floors are clad in pebbles, which are both attractive and slipresistant. Mount Moriah stone, a type of quartzite, brings texture to the entry, kitchen and sunroom floors. The same stone was used for the front walkway and driveway, emphasizing the connection between indoor and outdoor spaces.

Solution: Japanese style charred wood called Shou-Sugi-Ban. Product: Charwood™ – Ebony

Our clients wanted to create a backyard area to hang out and entertain with some privacy and protection from the elements. The initial vision was to simply build a large roof over one side of the existing deck while providing a little privacy. It was important to them to carefully integrate the new covered deck roofline into the existing home so that it looked it was there from day one. We had our partners at Draw Design help us with the initial drawings. As work progressed, the scope of the project morphed into something more significant. Check out the outdoor built-in barbecue and seating area complete with custom cabinets, granite countertops, and beautiful outdoor gas fireplace. Stone pillars and black metal capping completed the look giving the structure a mountain resort feel. Extensive use of red cedar finished off the high ceilings and privacy screen. Landscaping and a new hot tub were added afterwards. The end result is truly jaw-dropping!

This Gold-LEED home, selected for Domus Best Houses award and nominated for Frame House of the Year Award, it is called Cocoon because its round walls form a Cocoon shape towards northern and western neighbors. This rounded enclosed half of the house provides shelter and privacy. The other glass side of the house, facing south, takes in ocean breezes and open views. The cedar shingle cladding blends in with the historic neighborhood and benefits from local craft traditions. By tuning in to given site conditions, and with the help of environmental technologies such as photovoltaic panels and reflecting rainwater cistern, architectural design serves both the environment and wellbeing.

Inspired by the surrounding landscape, the Craftsman/Prairie style is one of the few truly American architectural styles. It was developed around the turn of the century by a group of Midwestern architects and continues to be among the most comfortable of all American-designed architecture more than a century later, one of the main reasons it continues to attract architects and homeowners today. Oxbridge builds on that solid reputation, drawing from Craftsman/Prairie and classic Farmhouse styles. Its handsome Shingle-clad exterior includes interesting pitched rooflines, alternating rows of cedar shake siding, stone accents in the foundation and chimney and distinctive decorative brackets. Repeating triple windows add interest to the exterior while keeping interior spaces open and bright. Inside, the floor plan is equally impressive. Columns on the porch and a custom entry door with sidelights and decorative glass leads into a spacious 2,900-square-foot main floor, including a 19 by 24-foot living room with a period-inspired built-ins and a natural fireplace. While inspired by the past, the home lives for the present, with open rooms and plenty of storage throughout. Also included is a 27-foot-wide family-style kitchen with a large island and eat-in dining and a nearby dining room with a beadboard ceiling that leads out onto a relaxing 240-square-foot screen porch that takes full advantage of the nearby outdoors and a private 16 by 20-foot master suite with a sloped ceiling and relaxing personal sitting area. The first floor also includes a large walk-in closet, a home management area and pantry to help you stay organized and a first-floor laundry area. Upstairs, another 1,500 square feet awaits, with a built-ins and a window seat at the top of the stairs that nod to the home’s historic inspiration. Opt for three family bedrooms or use one of the three as a yoga room; the upper level also includes attic access, which offers another 500 square feet, perfect for crafts or a playroom. More space awaits in the lower level, where another 1,500 square feet (and an additional 1,000) include a recreation/family room with nine-foot ceilings, a wine cellar and home office. Photographer: Jeff Garland

This project started with the design premise of maximizing the mountain view in combination with utilizing low maintenance and contrasting materials. Orr Concrete was selected as the builder due to technical and planned concrete work. A select grade of Pika-Pika with brown oil finish was chosen for good texture variety and to blend in with the setting.

Ann Lowengart Interiors collaborated with Field Architecture and Dowbuilt on this dramatic Sonoma residence featuring three copper-clad pavilions connected by glass breezeways. The copper and red cedar siding echo the red bark of the Madrone trees, blending the built world with the natural world of the ridge-top compound. Retractable walls and limestone floors that extend outside to limestone pavers merge the interiors with the landscape. To complement the modernist architecture and the client's contemporary art collection, we selected and installed modern and artisanal furnishings in organic textures and an earthy color palette.

By incorporating a vernacular massing and roof-lines we were given more leeway to experiment with different cladding options and modern glazing systems. As long time residents of the neighbourhood, the clients wanted to respect the nature and character of the surrounding homes while incorporating some more modern elements.

This Gold-LEED home, selected for Domus Best Houses award and nominated for Frame House of the Year Award, it is called Cocoon because its round walls form a Cocoon shape towards northern and western neighbors. This rounded enclosed half of the house provides shelter and privacy. The other glass side of the house, facing south, takes in ocean breezes and open views. The cedar shingle cladding blends in with the historic neighborhood and benefits from local craft traditions. By tuning in to given site conditions, and with the help of environmental technologies such as photovoltaic panels and reflecting rainwater cistern, architectural design serves both the environment and wellbeing.

Alabama's first National Association Of Home Builders "Green Certified"home, designed by Bob Chatham and built by Jeremy Friedman. The cottage includes exposed rafter tails, Cypress board and batten siding with Cedar shake details. This home has 5 spacious bedrooms, 4 bathrooms, a Gourmet Thermador Kitchen, Luxury master suite, Keeping room, Outdoor kitchen and Detached garage with a covered breeze way. Some of the Green Features include Waterfurnace Geothermal heating and Cooling with Desuperheater to heat Hot Water, Icynene Spray Foam Insulation, Integrity Wood Clad Windows, Reclaimed Heart Pine Flooring, McPhillips Reclaimed Cypress Entry, Reclaimed Pecan Mantle and Beams, Whole House Electrostatic air filter and remote timed ventilation, Vacuflo Central Vacuum, Distributed Audio, Dual Flush Toilets and low flow fixtures, Zip System wall sheathing and roof decking, Advanced Framing Techniques, Native draught tolerant landscaping, and much more.

This project started with the design premise of maximizing the mountain view in combination with utilizing low maintenance and contrasting materials. Orr Concrete was selected as the builder due to technical and planned concrete work. A select grade of Pika-Pika with brown oil finish was chosen for good texture variety and to blend in with the setting.

Winthrop MA - Direct waterfront home occasionally has waves reach the 2nd floor of this home. James Hardie siding takes direct ocean front abuse and still looks beautiful for years to come! Pictured are my men now installing AZEK PVC rail system for a low maintenance exterior

Arts and crafts gray two-story wood gable roof photo in New York

The Deschutes House is located on an urban site facing the Deschutes River in Bend, Oregon. The architectural massing of the house has been wrapped around a south-facing, grassy courtyard, with dramatic 2nd story spaces cantilevered toward the river. The main living space is completely transparent to the river on one side and to the courtyard on the other side, providing two entirely different views from the room. The living ceiling plane has enlivened by CNC-milled wood-strip ceiling panels, with variegated shapes inspired by landscape morphology. The house is clad with a two different types of siding: tightly spaced Western red cedar and corrugated metal siding. The warm tones of the wood contrast nicely with the cool tones of the metal siding and metal roofing. The fireplace chimney is clad in Montana ledgestone with a combination of earth tones and grey-blue colors. The house has a number of sustainable or “green” building features, including 2x8 construction (40% greater insulation value); generous glass areas to provide natural lighting and ventilation; large overhangs for sun and snow protection; metal siding for maximum durability; and radiant floor heating. The house also has solar hot water panels for domestic hot water.

The Deschutes House is located on an urban site facing the Deschutes River in Bend, Oregon. The architectural massing of the house has been wrapped around a south-facing, grassy courtyard, with dramatic 2nd story spaces cantilevered toward the river. The main living space is completely transparent to the river on one side and to the courtyard on the other side, providing two entirely different views from the room. The living ceiling plane has enlivened by CNC-milled wood-strip ceiling panels, with variegated shapes inspired by landscape morphology. The house is clad with a two different types of siding: tightly spaced Western red cedar and corrugated metal siding. The warm tones of the wood contrast nicely with the cool tones of the metal siding and metal roofing. The fireplace chimney is clad in Montana ledgestone with a combination of earth tones and grey-blue colors. The house has a number of sustainable or “green” building features, including 2x8 construction (40% greater insulation value); generous glass areas to provide natural lighting and ventilation; large overhangs for sun and snow protection; metal siding for maximum durability; and radiant floor heating. The house also has solar hot water panels for domestic hot water.