Winner of the 2018 Tour of Homes Best Remodel, this whole house re-design of a 1963 Bennet & Johnson mid-century raised ranch home is a beautiful example of the magic we can weave through the application of more sustainable modern design principles to existing spaces. We worked closely with our client on extensive updates to create a modernized MCM gem.

The new basement is the ultimate multi-functional space. A bar, foosball table, dartboard, and glass garage door with direct access to the back provide endless entertainment for guests; a cozy seating area with a whiteboard and pop-up television is perfect for Mike's work training sessions (or relaxing!); and a small playhouse and fun zone offer endless possibilities for the family's son, James.

Our clients wanted to modernize their 1980's home, focusing on reimagining the main floor. We used warm palettes, natural elements, and clean lines while maximizing natural light and preserving key architectural features to create a welcoming, functional space. We completely reimagined the kitchen to enhance flow and gain additional cabinet space. Features include a center island with bar stools that also doubles as a casual dining area, a functional layout, and ample storage.

The mixture of grey green cabinets with the distressed wood floors and ceilings, gives this farmhouse kitchen a feeling of warmth. Cabinets: Brookhaven and the color is Green Stone Benjamin Moore paint color: There's not an exact match for Green Stone, but Gettysburg Grey, HC 107 is close. Sink: Krauss, model KHF200-30, stainless steel Faucet: Kraus, modelKPF-1602 Hardware: Restoration hardware, Dakota cup and Dakota round knob. The finish was either the chestnut or iron. Windows: Bloomberg is the manufacturer the hardware is from Restoration hardware--Dakota cup and Dakota round knob. The finish was either the chestnut or iron. Floors: European Oak that is wired brushed. The company is Provenza, Pompeii collection and the color is Amiata. Distressed wood: The wood is cedar that's been treated to look distressed! My client is brilliant , so he did some googling (is that a word?) and came across several sites that had a recipe to do just that. He put a steel wool pad into a jar of vinegar and let it sit for a bit. In another jar, he mixed black tea with water. Brush the tea on first and let it dry. Then brush on the steel wool/vinegar (don't forget to strain the wool). Voila, the wood turns dark. Andrew McKinney Photography

Daniel Photography Ltd.
This is an example of a large craftsman full sun one-story and backyard wood and mulch formal garden in San Francisco for spring.

Example of a small trendy backyard deck design in San Francisco with a fire pit

Staircase - contemporary wooden l-shaped staircase idea in Detroit with wooden risers

Inspiration for a 1950s exterior home remodel in San Francisco

ZeroEnergy Design (ZED) created this modern home for a progressive family in the desirable community of Lexington. Thoughtful Land Connection. The residence is carefully sited on the infill lot so as to create privacy from the road and neighbors, while cultivating a side yard that captures the southern sun. The terraced grade rises to meet the house, allowing for it to maintain a structured connection with the ground while also sitting above the high water table. The elevated outdoor living space maintains a strong connection with the indoor living space, while the stepped edge ties it back to the true ground plane. Siting and outdoor connections were completed by ZED in collaboration with landscape designer Soren Deniord Design Studio. Exterior Finishes and Solar. The exterior finish materials include a palette of shiplapped wood siding, through-colored fiber cement panels and stucco. A rooftop parapet hides the solar panels above, while a gutter and site drainage system directs rainwater into an irrigation cistern and dry wells that recharge the groundwater. Cooking, Dining, Living. Inside, the kitchen, fabricated by Henrybuilt, is located between the indoor and outdoor dining areas. The expansive south-facing sliding door opens to seamlessly connect the spaces, using a retractable awning to provide shade during the summer while still admitting the warming winter sun. The indoor living space continues from the dining areas across to the sunken living area, with a view that returns again to the outside through the corner wall of glass. Accessible Guest Suite. The design of the first level guest suite provides for both aging in place and guests who regularly visit for extended stays. The patio off the north side of the house affords guests their own private outdoor space, and privacy from the neighbor. Similarly, the second level master suite opens to an outdoor private roof deck. Light and Access. The wide open interior stair with a glass panel rail leads from the top level down to the well insulated basement. The design of the basement, used as an away/play space, addresses the need for both natural light and easy access. In addition to the open stairwell, light is admitted to the north side of the area with a high performance, Passive House (PHI) certified skylight, covering a six by sixteen foot area. On the south side, a unique roof hatch set flush with the deck opens to reveal a glass door at the base of the stairwell which provides additional light and access from the deck above down to the play space. Energy. Energy consumption is reduced by the high performance building envelope, high efficiency mechanical systems, and then offset with renewable energy. All windows and doors are made of high performance triple paned glass with thermally broken aluminum frames. The exterior wall assembly employs dense pack cellulose in the stud cavity, a continuous air barrier, and four inches exterior rigid foam insulation. The 10kW rooftop solar electric system provides clean energy production. The final air leakage testing yielded 0.6 ACH 50 - an extremely air tight house, a testament to the well-designed details, progress testing and quality construction. When compared to a new house built to code requirements, this home consumes only 19% of the energy. Architecture & Energy Consulting: ZeroEnergy Design Landscape Design: Soren Deniord Design Paintings: Bernd Haussmann Studio Photos: Eric Roth Photography

Our client on Spyglass Lane in El Cerrito wanted to enjoy the views from his home and have protection from wind and sun. The existing decks were small and in poor shape. He contacted a neighbor with a similar view, for whom we had built a deck 12 years ago, which is where we got involved. The architect, Paul Burgin, and my client were both fans of modernist architect Richard Neutra's exterior home designs, so Paul drafted a preliminary design with this in mind. Mellor Remodeling assisted in Cost Planning between the architect and my client, pricing various design and material options (and suggesting cost savings where possible) and we created a design that fit the budget. The completed deck project now overloks a golf course and has a neighborhood community property on both sides. This fortunate siting will preserve the 180 degree view indefinitely. Mellor Remodeling has been thoughtfully transforming homes for the past 25 years. The Bay Area architecture, local building codes, historical construction medthods, the topography and climate all make for a great fit for the talents of Mellor Remodeling. We specialize in listening, then cost planning and then performing.

This is a great house. Perched high on a private, heavily wooded site, it has a rustic contemporary aesthetic. Vaulted ceilings, sky lights, large windows and natural materials punctuate the main spaces. The existing large format mosaic slate floor grabs your attention upon entering the home extending throughout the foyer, kitchen, and family room. Specific requirements included a larger island with workspace for each of the homeowners featuring a homemade pasta station which requires small appliances on lift-up mechanisms as well as a custom-designed pasta drying rack. Both chefs wanted their own prep sink on the island complete with a garbage “shoot” which we concealed below sliding cutting boards. A second and overwhelming requirement was storage for a large collection of dishes, serving platters, specialty utensils, cooking equipment and such. To meet those needs we took the opportunity to get creative with storage: sliding doors were designed for a coffee station adjacent to the main sink; hid the steam oven, microwave and toaster oven within a stainless steel niche hidden behind pantry doors; added a narrow base cabinet adjacent to the range for their large spice collection; concealed a small broom closet behind the refrigerator; and filled the only available wall with full-height storage complete with a small niche for charging phones and organizing mail. We added 48” high base cabinets behind the main sink to function as a bar/buffet counter as well as overflow for kitchen items. The client’s existing vintage commercial grade Wolf stove and hood commands attention with a tall backdrop of exposed brick from the fireplace in the adjacent living room. We loved the rustic appeal of the brick along with the existing wood beams, and complimented those elements with wired brushed white oak cabinets. The grayish stain ties in the floor color while the slab door style brings a modern element to the space. We lightened the color scheme with a mix of white marble and quartz countertops. The waterfall countertop adjacent to the dining table shows off the amazing veining of the marble while adding contrast to the floor. Special materials are used throughout, featured on the textured leather-wrapped pantry doors, patina zinc bar countertop, and hand-stitched leather cabinet hardware. We took advantage of the tall ceilings by adding two walnut linear pendants over the island that create a sculptural effect and coordinated them with the new dining pendant and three wall sconces on the beam over the main sink.

Our client on Spyglass Lane in El Cerrito wanted to enjoy the views from his home and have protection from wind and sun. The existing decks were small and in poor shape. He contacted a neighbor with a similar view, for whom we had built a deck 12 years ago, which is where we got involved. The architect, Paul Burgin, and my client were both fans of modernist architect Richard Neutra's exterior home designs, so Paul drafted a preliminary design with this in mind. Mellor Remodeling assisted in Cost Planning between the architect and my client, pricing various design and material options (and suggesting cost savings where possible) and we created a design that fit the budget. The completed deck project now overloks a golf course and has a neighborhood community property on both sides. This fortunate siting will preserve the 180 degree view indefinitely. Mellor Remodeling has been thoughtfully transforming homes for the past 25 years. The Bay Area architecture, local building codes, historical construction medthods, the topography and climate all make for a great fit for the talents of Mellor Remodeling. We specialize in listening, then cost planning and then performing.

Mountain style guest bedroom photo in Denver with orange walls

Visit NKBA.org/ProSearch to find an NKBA professional near you- turn your dreams into reality! 2013 NKBA Design Competition Finalist 'Rustic Old World Charm' by Richard Ourso, CKD, CAPS Material and Salvage finishes recreate the Old World French décor the clients truly desired. A custom hood was created, using copper, copper rivets, forged-iron strapping and an old beam, and the finish was left with a naturally dark patina. Photo: Chipper Hatter

Our client on Spyglass Lane in El Cerrito wanted to enjoy the views from his home and have protection from wind and sun. The existing decks were small and in poor shape. He contacted a neighbor with a similar view, for whom we had built a deck 12 years ago, which is where we got involved. The architect, Paul Burgin, and my client were both fans of modernist architect Richard Neutra's exterior home designs, so Paul drafted a preliminary design with this in mind. Mellor Remodeling assisted in Cost Planning between the architect and my client, pricing various design and material options (and suggesting cost savings where possible) and we created a design that fit the budget. The completed deck project now overloks a golf course and has a neighborhood community property on both sides. This fortunate siting will preserve the 180 degree view indefinitely. Mellor Remodeling has been thoughtfully transforming homes for the past 25 years. The Bay Area architecture, local building codes, historical construction medthods, the topography and climate all make for a great fit for the talents of Mellor Remodeling. We specialize in listening, then cost planning and then performing.

Pinnacle Mountain Homes
Living room - rustic open concept medium tone wood floor living room idea in Denver with white walls, a standard fireplace and a stone fireplace

Our client on Spyglass Lane in El Cerrito wanted to enjoy the views from his home and have protection from wind and sun. The existing decks were small and in poor shape. He contacted a neighbor with a similar view, for whom we had built a deck 12 years ago, which is where we got involved. The architect, Paul Burgin, and my client were both fans of modernist architect Richard Neutra's exterior home designs, so Paul drafted a preliminary design with this in mind. Mellor Remodeling assisted in Cost Planning between the architect and my client, pricing various design and material options (and suggesting cost savings where possible) and we created a design that fit the budget. The completed deck project now overloks a golf course and has a neighborhood community property on both sides. This fortunate siting will preserve the 180 degree view indefinitely. Mellor Remodeling has been thoughtfully transforming homes for the past 25 years. The Bay Area architecture, local building codes, historical construction medthods, the topography and climate all make for a great fit for the talents of Mellor Remodeling. We specialize in listening, then cost planning and then performing.

Ornate furnishings with contemporary gold art in this soft Master Bedroom. Gold, grey blue, cream and black on white shag rug. White, gold and almost black are used in this very large, traditional remodel of an original Landry Group Home, filled with contemporary furniture, modern art and decor. White painted moldings on walls and ceilings, combined with black stained wide plank wood flooring. Very grand spaces, including living room, family room, dining room and music room feature hand knotted rugs in modern light grey, gold and black free form styles. All large rooms, including the master suite, feature white painted fireplace surrounds in carved moldings. Music room is stunning in black venetian plaster and carved white details on the ceiling with burgandy velvet upholstered chairs and a burgandy accented Baccarat Crystal chandelier. All lighting throughout the home, including the stairwell and extra large dining room hold Baccarat lighting fixtures. Master suite is composed of his and her baths, a sitting room divided from the master bedroom by beautiful carved white doors. Guest house shows arched white french doors, ornate gold mirror, and carved crown moldings. All the spaces are comfortable and cozy with warm, soft textures throughout. Project Location: Lake Sherwood, Westlake, California. Project designed by Maraya Interior Design. From their beautiful resort town of Ojai, they serve clients in Montecito, Hope Ranch, Malibu and Calabasas, across the tri-county area of Santa Barbara, Ventura and Los Angeles, south to Hidden Hills.

In this great light and bright kitchen my client was looking for a beach look, including new floors, lots of white, and an open, airy, feel. This kitchen complements Bathroom Remodel 06 - Bath #1 and Bathroom Remodel 06 - Bath #2 as part of the same house remodel, all with beach house in mind.