This project included the addition of a new entry, circulation space, powder room and office spaces. The addition fixed the inadequate flow of the house and the new stair and railing design was the focal point of the project. All bathrooms and kitchens were remodeled.

Casey Dunn
Trendy exterior home photo in Austin

Paver walkway and stepping stones for lake home connection and circulation in deer resistant plantings
Inspiration for a mid-sized rustic backyard concrete paver landscaping.

Our clients came to us with specific remodeling goals: to create a more functional mid-century home with an updated and larger kitchen, to resolve the public circulation through their master bedroom, have a unified feel versus a house with multiple additions, and expanded views of the lovely Huron River, which is right outside their backyard. Our solutions focused on creating a new circulation system that reconnects the entire floor plan into a cohesive whole, and reinforces the connection to the outdoor courtyards.

The client’s request was quite common - a typical 2800 sf builder home with 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, living space, and den. However, their desire was for this to be “anything but common.” The result is an innovative update on the production home for the modern era, and serves as a direct counterpoint to the neighborhood and its more conventional suburban housing stock, which focus views to the backyard and seeks to nullify the unique qualities and challenges of topography and the natural environment. The Terraced House cautiously steps down the site’s steep topography, resulting in a more nuanced approach to site development than cutting and filling that is so common in the builder homes of the area. The compact house opens up in very focused views that capture the natural wooded setting, while masking the sounds and views of the directly adjacent roadway. The main living spaces face this major roadway, effectively flipping the typical orientation of a suburban home, and the main entrance pulls visitors up to the second floor and halfway through the site, providing a sense of procession and privacy absent in the typical suburban home. Clad in a custom rain screen that reflects the wood of the surrounding landscape - while providing a glimpse into the interior tones that are used. The stepping “wood boxes” rest on a series of concrete walls that organize the site, retain the earth, and - in conjunction with the wood veneer panels - provide a subtle organic texture to the composition. The interior spaces wrap around an interior knuckle that houses public zones and vertical circulation - allowing more private spaces to exist at the edges of the building. The windows get larger and more frequent as they ascend the building, culminating in the upstairs bedrooms that occupy the site like a tree house - giving views in all directions. The Terraced House imports urban qualities to the suburban neighborhood and seeks to elevate the typical approach to production home construction, while being more in tune with modern family living patterns. Overview: Elm Grove Size: 2,800 sf, 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms Completion Date: September 2014 Services: Architecture, Landscape Architecture Interior Consultants: Amy Carman Design

This charming European-inspired home juxtaposes old-world architecture with more contemporary details. The exterior is primarily comprised of granite stonework with limestone accents. The stair turret provides circulation throughout all three levels of the home, and custom iron windows afford expansive lake and mountain views. The interior features custom iron windows, plaster walls, reclaimed heart pine timbers, quartersawn oak floors and reclaimed oak millwork.

Mid-century modern kitchen photo in Burlington

Curving pathways and blending of materials to create an accessible, interesting route.
Design ideas for a mid-sized traditional full sun backyard stone landscaping.

New screened-in porch and brick patio: The new interior and exterior stairway are cedar wood planks. The corners are rounded to open the steps to circulation and avoid a handrail.

Split entry doors, or Dutch doors, are both decorative and practical to allow for air circulation whilst keeping your canine pet from entering the small greenhouse.

This project included the addition of a new entry, circulation space, powder room and office spaces. The addition fixed the inadequate flow of the house and the new stair and railing design was the focal point of the project. All bathrooms and kitchens were remodeled.

This project included the addition of a new entry, circulation space, powder room and office spaces. The addition fixed the inadequate flow of the house and the new stair and railing design was the focal point of the project. All bathrooms and kitchens were remodeled.

Our clients came to us with specific remodeling goals: to create a more functional mid-century home with an updated and larger kitchen, to resolve the public circulation through their master bedroom, have a unified feel versus a house with multiple additions, and expanded views of the lovely Huron River, which is right outside their backyard. Our solutions focused on creating a new circulation system that reconnects the entire floor plan into a cohesive whole, and reinforces the connection to the outdoor courtyards.

Mudroom entry with custom reclaimed wood and metal mesh equipment lockers. A sliding barn door leads to the powder bath, featuring a custom cast concrete sink. Photo Credit: Vance Fox

Transitional living room photo in Denver with white walls

Long, narrow kitchens can be challenging, particularly when multiple doorways and windows interrupt the available wall space. Despite those constraints, this layout maintains a continuous workflow and generous countertop space around the perimeter. Because there was not enough room for an island, a peninsula was introduced beside the doorway leading to the dining room. It provides additional preparation space and storage without obstructing circulation between the two rooms.

Tall privacy screens constructed of horizontal cedar slats are positioned to block views to the side yard, while maintaining site access and flowing circulation.

Example of an arts and crafts shed design in Santa Barbara

This project included the addition of a new entry, circulation space, powder room and office spaces. The addition fixed the inadequate flow of the house and the new stair and railing design was the focal point of the project. All bathrooms and kitchens were remodeled.