Clearer - Photos & Ideas

Panoramic Style Patio Doors

Folding panoramic patio doors, such as these installed in an Alatdena, CA home, provides a clear view of your outdoor landscape. This frameless folding exterior door system opens up the home to the views of Altadena's Verdugo Hills. The Verdugos-a small mountain range, with big views, located on the northeast end of the San Fernando Valley-begin with foothills, then rapidly rising to rugged sections, providing a wildlife island view that is sure to relax and entertain. This Frameless folding patio door video shows how bi-folding exterior doors: Provide an excellent alternative to sliding patio doors; Allow your outdoor natural light to filter into your home; Offer wider, clearer openings with beautiful glass folding doors; Provide major aesthetic decorative advantages over regular patio doors; Transform your interior living spaces into warm venues to your outside environment. Enhance your Los Angeles, San Diego, Orange or Riverside County home with sliding, folding doors like the gallery you see in the bi-folding patio door video. Call 760.806.6830, or visit our frameless folding door gallery, https://www.foldingdoorsandwindows.com/folding-doors-gallery, to get your own ideas on how to open up your spaces, and merge indoor with outdoor home areas. Panoramic-style doors transform your interior/exterior living spaces into a warm venue to entertain, socialize, relax, and have fun. See our gallery of affordable Premier Folding Doors for ideas on enhancing your living areas, and create a new environment for you and your loved ones.

Frameless Folding Glass Patio Doors

Alternative to French Patio Doors

From Mid-Century Classic to the Present

Klopf Architecture

From Mid-Century Classic to the Present An iconic design updated with comfort, function, and flow for today. A Remodel That Balances Past and Present What started as a desire to update a classic Eichler soon became an exploration of how Mid-Century Modern design can successfully evolve for today. The client, a tech professional with a passion for scuba diving and underwater photography, wanted a home that would both honor its original character and feel tailored to his daily life. A lifelong technology enthusiast, he still owns the very first Mac desktop he saved up for as a teenager working at Radio Shack, a detail that underscores his appreciation for design that melds function and form. Honoring Separation While Expanding Possibility Unlike many contemporary remodels where walls are opened up to create expansive living spaces, this project took a more restrained approach. The client valued the defined rooms of the original plan and wanted to preserve as much wall space as possible for displaying his large-format underwater photography. The emphasis was not on dramatic spatial reinvention, but on thoughtful refinements. Klopf Architecture shaped a gallery-like backdrop while also expanding the primary suite, modernizing materials and fixtures throughout the home, and improving the functionality and layout of the kitchen. The finished home feels at once timeless and renewed, an Eichler that continues to inspire while fully supporting the lifestyle of its present-day owner. A major turning point came mid-design. The original project brief had not included an addition, but as the reconfiguration of the primary bedroom and bath unfolded, it became clear that an expansion was the best approach to achieve the client’s vision of a more spacious suite. Fortunately, the adjustment came at a stage when revisions were still manageable and was integrated seamlessly, showing how thoughtful course corrections can strengthen a project rather than hinder it. Navigating Challenges With Precision The design development included multiple conceptual rounds, balancing preservation with subtle expansion. During construction, an existing post previously thought to be load-bearing turned out not to be. The structural engineer was able to pivot quickly, and both the post and the cross beam that had been intended to replace it could be omitted, allowing the original rhythm of the Eichler beam bays to be preserved. Sustainability was not just a checklist item, but a way to align the home with the client’s values of simplicity, efficiency, and long-term functionality. R-38 roof insulation reduced energy usage, solar panels with battery storage provided independence and resilience, and passive comfort strategies eliminated the need forenergy-intensive air conditioning. An electric vehicle charger and an on-demand hot water recirculation system (with call buttons as opposed to having constant circulation) add to the home’s long-term efficiency factors. Together, these moves created a home that is quieter, more comfortable, and better equipped for the future, qualities that supported the client’s pragmatic approach to design and living lightly. Details That Respect the Eichler DNA The remodel carries forward the Eichler’s original spirit while introducing new layers of modern livability. Originally, the house was approached along a deep, narrow walk, with the garage on one side and the house on the other, leaving the front door tucked far back within this chasm-like space. By pulling the entry forward, the design reshaped the arrival experience, creating a clearer threshold and a natural drop-off zone for bags, shoes, and keys. This shift also made room for a custom bench at the entry that extends seamlessly through the glass sidelight. The bench and drop-off zone now work together as a single, integrated sequence that supports everyday living while offering a tactile reminder of Eichler’s philosophy of connectedness. At the client’s request, Klopf reintroduced a classic Eichler gesture by extending the exterior siding into the entry and living room. The detail reinforces a sense of indoor/outdoor continuity while providing a subtle architectural surface that allows the client’s photography to take visual precedence. The signature concrete masonry wall at the front was reconstructed using blocks sourced to match the originals, now strengthened with rebar for seismic resilience while maintaining a private outdoor courtyard, visually extending the kitchen outward. A decorative trellis element, a detail borrowed from a neighboring Eichler, restores a familiar mid-century modern architectural motif. At the courtyard entry door, a custom etched glass sidelight with an ocean-themed design featuring kelp and jellyfish serves as a subtle homage to the client’s passion for deep-sea diving. Landscaping became an integral part of the overall transformation. The homeowner engaged landscape architect Randi Johnsen of Third Nature Studio to shape a series of calm, inviting outdoor rooms that read as a natural extension of the interiors. While technically outside of the core construction scope, the landscape design proved central to achieving a sense of completeness and connectedness across the property. Such whole-property considerations often emerge as design ideas take shape, underscoring the importance of flexibility in planning and budgeting, as well as close collaboration among the design team starting early in the process. The Value of Evolving Scope As with many custom residential projects, the scope evolved during the design process. What began as a targeted remodel grew to include a new/expanded primary suite, a rebuilt CMU patio wall for strength and longevity, and a solar panel array and battery storage for energy resilience and carbon-reduction. Each thoughtful decision represented a conscious investment in the home’s performance and character, rather than a cost overrun. The result was a project delivered on schedule, tailored precisely to the client’s lifestyle, and positioned to add long-term value both functionally and aesthetically. By embracing scope evolution as an opportunity rather than a challenge, and relying on good design paired with transparent communication, this remodel demonstrates how Eichler homes can be adapted for contemporary living without erasing their DNA. Klopf Architecture project team: John Klopf, AIA, and Klara Kevane, Elise Webb and Nicholas LaNasa. Contractor: Golden Cove Construction Landscape Design: Third Nature Studio Structural Engineer: Daniel Bastiao Design Photography: ©2025 Mariko Reed Year Completed: 2024 Location: Sunnyvale, CA

Bearspaw Kitchen

ANA Interiors

Steve Dutcheshen
Kitchen - large contemporary u-shaped light wood floor and beige floor kitchen idea in Calgary with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, blue cabinets, quartz countertops, white backsplash, glass tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances and white countertops

Luxury Estate Remodel: Living Room

Wesley-Wayne Interiors, LLC

This opulent transitional formal living space is a true showstopper. The soft gray wall and ceiling color create the perfect backdrop for the plush furnishings. Leather club chairs contrast against the white sofas yet coordinate at the same time with the dark nail trim detail found on the sofas. The viscose hand-knotted rug lends a beautiful traditional pattern created with soft contemporary neutral tones. A crystal pendant fixture adds just the right amount of sparkle over this luxurious space. Geometric patterns set at the right scale make up the drapery panels, which create a private space when closed. Carefully curated cocktail table accessories polish off the room. Design by: Wesley-Wayne Interiors Photo by: Stephen Karlisch

Apartment TC

Schaller Design Lab

This home theater showcases elegant lighting and modern design, featuring a spacious room with cozy ambiance and high-end technology. The projector screen and comfortable seating are complemented by stylish decor, creating a sophisticated and inviting atmosphere ideal for movie nights. For expert advice in design, lighting, and technology, contact Designlab to elevate your home theater experience.

In the Tuscany region of central Italy, a region made famous around the world for its history, landscapes, traditions, artistic legacy and fine wine, perhaps nothing is more universally recognized than the old world villa’s that are nestled into the rolling countryside. Standing at approximately 10,500 square feet, this custom residence has all of the elegance, style and craftsmanship of those old world homes, but with all of the modern amenities of a new modern luxury home. This stunning residence was recognized by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) as the best custom built home in the country in 2010, a testament to the skillful designers and craftsmen who brought the homeowners vision into reality. When Chad Haas, Founder of VAULT (www.vaultgarage.com), a company that prides itself in furnishing some of the most beautiful garages in the world, was brought into the project, the home and garage had already been built. The accolades of the gorgeous villa already awarded. But the homeowner felt that the exterior and interior of the garage lacked architectural harmony with the rest of the home and so he flew Mr. Haas out to visit the space directly so that he could assist hands-on with re-designing a new look and to add furnishings to accessories the space. “When I first approached the villa from the street, I knew that I’d have my work cut out for me. Everything looked so perfect exactly the way it was designed and built. I questioned myself ‘how was I going to improve upon perfection?’, since remarkable attention was paid to even the smallest of details in the home” asked Haas. The client’s goal was to engage Haas to design and furnish a garage where he could relax, separate from the home, enjoy his growing car collection and entertain family and friends. After spending a short weekend together with the home owner to gather his ideas, Haas returned back to his Beaverton, Oregon-based company with a clearer vision: create the ultimate gentlemen’s retreat through the look of a turn-of-a-century Tuscan ‘car barn’. Absolutely nothing in the garage was overlooked – and it shows. Every design element in the garage for color, texture and material was meticulously thought out to elicit just the right feeling and emotion in everyone that enters what may be one of the most beautifully elegant garages in America, a space commonly overlooked in the construction of homes today. A main focal point of the exterior of garage is the beautiful view from the courtyard, where all three carriage doors can be seen. While the existing wood doors looked acceptable, it was agreed that something more befitting of the quality and beauty of the home were appropriate. Haas designed luxurious castle-style doors handcrafted from solid Mahogany and bathed in a rich dark brown stain that was complemented by hand-wrought iron grills, clavos and door pull hardware. The double-wide door, in particular, is truly remarkable in both its elegance, as well as its one-of-a-kind operation. “The client was concerned in this area of having mounting hardware and a motor on the ceiling. Because the cars in this area do not get brought out on a regular (daily) basis, the doors open manually by hand and operate accordion style on a track”. The homes main overhead garage doors feature jack-shaft operation which removes the clutter of a motor on the garage ceiling, but offers the convenience of powered operation. These extraordinary, custom-made castle doors look just as beautiful on the inside as the out and their unparalleled design and craftsmanship take the exterior of the home to even greater heights than before. On to the interior, a black and white epoxy coating was stripped and replaced with porcelain tiles that resembled Italian travertine stone. To give the car barn a rustic feeling and a presence that it was older, not modern, Haas worked on the development and concept directly with the home owner to collaborate with a local millwork company that designed and hand-finished substantial wood beams from distressed Doug Fir. All of the walls were hand-plastered by a local artist using straw that was harvested from the immediate area surrounding the home and incorporated into the plaster to give it a rustic antique quality. Haas conceived and designed a bar area and cabinetry for a work area that pulled inspiration from old ice boxes of the 1920’s that utilized heavy nickel-plated hardware, again to give storage spaces a rustic appearance. The warm glow from several custom porcelain neon signs, each one meticulously built entirely by hand by VAULT, are dispersed throughout the space and transform the entire room and bring it to life. The client had never previously owned a neon sign before and along with the carriage doors felt that these items have transformed the space more than any other feature. Several antique gas pumps, restored in the client’s favorite petro bran, and a few additional porcelain signs will eventually furnish the rest of the space to complement the clients amazing car collection. In addition to the countless details that set this showcase garage apart, its ability to seamlessly blend with the rest of the home and the natural, rustic setting of the Colorado Rockies, yet house modern automobiles in a manner in which they feel well placed and belong, is also noteworthy. GARAGE DESIGN & FURNISHINGS To learn more about VAULT visit them at: http://www.vaultgarage.com/ And on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/VaultGarage PHOTOGRAPHY All photographs were used with the permission of photographer John Vanderpool (john.vanderpool5@gmail.com) You can visit John Vanderpool on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/JVanderpoolPhotography ARCHITECTURE Jerry Gloss, Principal, KGA Architects: http://www.kgarch.com/ HOMEBUILDER Thomas Sattler Home: http://thomassattlerhomes.com/ VEHICLES Here is an overview of the cars that were photographed in this article: 1. 2014 Ferrari 458 Italia 2. 2013 Maserati GranTurismo Sport 3. 2007 Porsche 911 GT3 RS (997) 4. 2008 Porsche Cayenne GTS 5. 2008 Porsche GT3 RS 6. 2013 Porsche 911 Turbo S (997) 7. 2014 Porsche Panamera GTS 8. 2013 Ford SVT Raptor (6.2L CrewCab)’ Overview of project reprinted with permission of DuPont Registry.

Lincoln Park Bathroom

GS Construction

Example of a small classic 3/4 white tile and stone tile mosaic tile floor alcove shower design in Chicago with an undermount sink, recessed-panel cabinets, black cabinets, quartzite countertops, a two-piece toilet and gray walls