The front door was reworked to allow the central focus of the Great Room to be the view of the creek. The Great Room features a soaring ceiling finished in a translucent wash on the v-groove boards, as well as an original commissioned painting by the architect on the job, Chip Hemingway. Mark Steelman Photo

Set high in the Hollywood Hills, this historic mid-century modern home marks the first commissioned residential project by acclaimed California architect A. Quincy Jones. Thoughtfully reimagined, the remodel honors the home’s architectural legacy while introducing a refined, contemporary sensibility. Our approach focused on preserving the original design, including clean lines, indoor-outdoor flow, and natural materials, while elevating each space through layered textures, custom millwork, and curated finishes. Color and quirk create additional charm in the home, while warm wood tones and sculptural elements preserve the interiors. The result is a home that feels both iconic and livable.

This is a commission that was placed over the bed in the master bedroom. Soft, ethereal, meant to be peaceful and relaxing. Photo by M Haven
Eclectic bedroom photo in Other

Stuart Wade, Envision Virtual Tours Campbell Cove Lake, Tennessee Construction was completed in 1963 and originally, the lake was owned and managed strictly for fishing. It has a normal surface area of 71 acres and depths of over 60 feet. It is now owned by Polk County and managed by the Copper Basin Utility District as an area water supply. Swimming and boating is allowed, however, the use of gasoline powered boat motors is prohibited Campbell Cove Lake Dam is of earthen construction. The core is homogeneous, earth. The foundation is soil, rock. Its height is 77 feet with a length of 402 feet. Its capacity is 2430 acre feet. Normal storage is 1394 acre feet. It drains an area of 1.84 square miles. The lake was originally stocked by the Tennessee Game and Fish Commission with large mouth bass, shell crackers, bluegill and channel catfish; the lake also has a healthy population of perch and crappie. Persons fishing must have a valid TN. fishing license. There is a public boat launching area available for use year round.

Believed to be the oldest building in Excelsior Minnesota, this humble brick structure has transformed, been moved, and housed countless people over its 162 years. Affectionately known as ‘The Beehive’, it was built in 1857 and began as the original Excelsior schoolhouse. It was moved to its’ current location in the 1880’s and became a 23-room dormitory for Northwestern Christian College, followed by a boarding house, and finally apartments (in addition to the rumors of more sordid activities in the early 20th century!). After being in the same family for several decades, the owner wanted to transform the building one more time to make it her own home. Citydeskstudio worked closely with her and the Excelsior Historic Preservation Commission on the design. She now occupies the main floor, with additional units above and below for rental and for family. The design celebrates the stout and blocky character of the building with a new modern expansion off the back. There, the building steps and expands outwards in glassy boxes of charred cedar. Inside, the original structure was repaired and uncovered where possible, and previous poorly done modifications were corrected. The center piece of this more open and light-filled home is a rich modern kitchen in walnut, travertine, and steel. The old character remains ever present and is essential to the spirit of The Beehive’s latest transformation. This multigenerational home’s design honors the legacy of the property, marrying the original Excelsior schoolhouse with a beautiful, modern, contextually-sensitive remodel and addition. Project Team: Ben Awes, AIA, Principal-In-Charge Chris Bach Nate Dodge

Minimalist home design photo in Toronto

Jeremy Fenalon
Trendy family room photo in Birmingham

Project Type: Full House Remodel Client Type: Builder Overview: We were commissioned by our clients over at Housekick to create a set of design plans and provide our standard visualization package. The crew over at Housekick builds/renovates and sells over forty houses a year in the Raleigh Triangle area, so having an efficient construction process and the ability to pre-sell their properties is crucial to their business model. Because of our extensive experience with interior design, real estate, and construction projects, they rely on us to come up with complete design plans from start to finish and then use these to build and pre-sell their projects. Original Conditions: This typical 1970’s choppy split-level house was e “functionally obsolete,” had three bedrooms, two baths, and no real master suite before we got our hands on it. Changes: Upon completion, the home had four bedrooms, three full baths, a full master suite, and an open floorplan with modern architectural details. The Result: Because of our design plans and visualizations, our clients were able to create a stunning property that was functionally current, appealed to the correct demographic, and wowed potential buyers resulting in the home selling before it ever hit the market!

For this commission the client hired us to do the interiors of their new home which was under construction. The style of the house was very traditional however the client wanted the interiors to be transitional, a mixture of contemporary with more classic design. We assisted the client in all of the material, fixture, lighting, cabinetry and built-in selections for the home. The floors throughout the first floor of the home are a creme marble in different patterns to suit the particular room; the dining room has a marble mosaic inlay in the tradition of an oriental rug. The ground and second floors are hardwood flooring with a herringbone pattern in the bedrooms. Each of the seven bedrooms has a custom ensuite bathroom with a unique design. The master bathroom features a white and gray marble custom inlay around the wood paneled tub which rests below a venetian plaster domes and custom glass pendant light. We also selected all of the furnishings, wall coverings, window treatments, and accessories for the home. Custom draperies were fabricated for the sitting room, dining room, guest bedroom, master bedroom, and for the double height great room. The client wanted a neutral color scheme throughout the ground floor; fabrics were selected in creams and beiges in many different patterns and textures. One of the favorite rooms is the sitting room with the sculptural white tete a tete chairs. The master bedroom also maintains a neutral palette of creams and silver including a venetian mirror and a silver leafed folding screen. Additional unique features in the home are the layered capiz shell walls at the rear of the great room open bar, the double height limestone fireplace surround carved in a woven pattern, and the stained glass dome at the top of the vaulted ceilings in the great room.

The goal for our emerald and white kitchen design was to create a bold and functional kitchen for our sophisticated clients. They desired a more practical kitchen layout and a splash of color. Previously, the cooktop was located in the small center island with a very limited prep area on each side. In addition, there was not a focal point and the unsightly refrigerator was on the main focal wall. The designer completely reconfigured the space by placing the range on the main kitchen wall, topped with a showstopping new emerald kitchen hood as the focal point. A new built-in refrigerator was relocated to the opposite wall and a functional veggie sink was added in the center island. The clients requested a color palette that was anything but neutral, so the designer delivered with a bold green and white design to meet their request. Gold accents add additional sophisticated detailing. Bursts of green were incorporated throughout the space in the barstools, the kitchen island and in the custom breakfast area artwork commissioned especially for this project.

In the early days of the 3d architectural visualisation studio, the focus was on creating photo-realistic images of buildings that didn't yet exist. This allowed potential buyers or renters to see what their future home or office would look like. Nowadays, the role of the 3d architectural visualizer has evolved. While still involved in the sale or rental of property, they are also heavily involved in the design process. By using 3d architectural visualization, architects and designers can explore different design options and make sure that the final product meets the needs of the client. In this blog post, we will take a look at a recent project by a 3d architectural visualizer - the Visualize a Residential Colony in Meridian Idaho. A 3D architectural visualisation is an important tool for architects and engineers. It allows them to create realistic images of their designs, which can be used to present their ideas to clients or investors. The studio Visualize was commissioned to create a 3D visualisation of a proposed residential colony in Meridian, Idaho. The colony will be built on a site that is currently occupied by a golf course. The studio used a variety of software to create the visualisation, including 3ds Max, V-Ray, and Photoshop. The finished product is a realistic and accurate representation of the proposed colony. The 3D visualisation has been used to convince the local authorities to approve the project. It has also been used to help raise investment for the colony.

A former client came to us to renovate her cramped master bathroom into a serene, spa-like setting. Armed with an inspiration photo from a magazine, we set out and commissioned a local, custom furniture maker to produce the cabinetry. The hand-distressed reclaimed wormy chestnut vanities and linen closet bring warmth to the space while the painted shiplap and white glass countertops brighten it up. Handmade subway tiles welcome you into the bright shower and wood-look porcelain tile offers a practical flooring solution that still softens the space. It’s not hard to imagine yourself soaking in the deep freestanding tub letting your troubles melt away. Matt Villano Photography

Over a span of two years we completed several projects at this Tokoma Park, Maryland property. We cleaned up the backyard, renovated an existing swale, and installed water loving plants. The following year, we replaced the old pea gravel driveway with a permeable paver driveway. While doing the driveway we encountered spongey clay that was saturated from a leaking water line. We had to install concrete piers down to virgin soil to bear the weight of the walkway. The driveway excavation had to take into account the root zones of large trees. To avoid the surface roots we used a minimal excavation design. Our ultimate goal with this project was to ensure that the new walkways provided a safe and comfortable path for the homeowners and guest to get from their cars to porch whether parked along the street or in the driveway. To provide an extra layer of security, we added low-voltage lighting to accent trees and light the walkway, which were programmed to come on at dusk and turn off automatically at dawn. The new plantings are native species including River Birch, Swamp Hibiscus, Blue Flag Iris, and Common Rush, that are adapted to growing in wet soils. The permeable paver driveway will reduce runoff by storing rain in gravel base while allowing it to be absorbed into the soil below. The paver surface eliminates the tracking of pea gravel into the house while allowing heels to walk on it without sinking in. The swale handles runoff from all the uphill properties and the gravel keeps it from becoming a soggy mess. 
 During seasonal months, snow and leaf removal are greatly eased by having a hard surface to shovel or rake. The permeable pavers used are Techo-Bloc Villagio in Shale Grey and we installed a granite Belgian block border. We replaced existing broken concrete walkway with new curving flagstone walkway and connected the front steps to the driveway and side steps. All projects were consulted with the City of Takoma Park’s Urban Forest Manager, and the Montgomery County Historical Preservation Commission.

Saikley Architects was commissioned to renovate and restore this spectacular home with a light touch, making only minor modifications to the floor plan to make it functional for the family’s needs. One of Alameda’s iconic houses, this mix of Prairie and Craftsman styles is full of lovely details such as leaded glass and hand painted windows, original woodwork and built-ins which were largely intact, and a huge wraparound porch with its original mosaic tile floor. Saikley Architects worked closely with Buestad Construction to replicateoriginal details at remodeled areas and restore theold finishes. New materials are simple and in keeping with the period of the house. All systems were upgraded to modernize the house.

Set high in the Hollywood Hills, this historic mid-century modern home marks the first commissioned residential project by acclaimed California architect A. Quincy Jones. Thoughtfully reimagined, the remodel honors the home’s architectural legacy while introducing a refined, contemporary sensibility. Our approach focused on preserving the original design, including clean lines, indoor-outdoor flow, and natural materials, while elevating each space through layered textures, custom millwork, and curated finishes. Color and quirk create additional charm in the home, while warm wood tones and sculptural elements preserve the interiors. The result is a home that feels both iconic and livable.

On projects like this traditional home bar, we are often brought to finish out spaces with unique and custom touches to perfect the rooms. In this instance, we were commissioned to build a custom, traditional wet bar to serve as a focal point for the room. This effect of this is a great, finished basement perfect for entertaining and hosting guests and family.

This modern home nestled in the beautiful Los Altos Hills area is being remodeled both inside and out with a minimalist vibe to make the most of the breathtaking valley views. With limited structural changes to maximize the function of the home and showcase the view, the main goal of this project is to completely furnish for a busy active family of five who loves outdoors, entertaining, and fitness. Because the client wishes to extensively use the outdoor spaces, this project is also about recreating key rooms outside on the 3-tier patio so this family can enjoy all this home has to offer.