For this kids’ bathroom in Wexford, our clients wanted to create a space that would grow along with their two young daughters throughout the years. Something that would be fun and playful now, with lots of color — but stylish enough to stand up to teenagers later on. To achieve this, our design centered on classic materials that didn’t sacrifice character: Crisp black and white zellige tile with tons of texture and sheen. A natural, oiled teak double vanity. Bright and clean polished chrome plumbing fixtures. To keep the room from feeling too sterile, we combined a sophisticated blue-green wall paint with cheerful, saturated pops of color throughout the bath linens and décor. Elements that are fun and youthful, that can be easily updated as the girls’ tastes evolve. To maximize function in the space, we added storage at the double vanity with large drawers and medicine cabinets above. Step stools below tuck neatly out of the way when not in use. We also included a tiled “shelf” that spans the full width of the tub in lieu of a smaller traditional shower niche. A super durable, low-profile cast iron tub insert makes bathtime easy — for kids and the family dog, alike!

It’s important when doing bathroom renovations that you think about how your family will grow and use the space as time goes on. In-wall toilet systems, like this one from Geberit, are flexible in that you can decide on the perfect height to accommodate any family member.

This 1907 home in the Ericsson neighborhood of South Minneapolis needed some love. A tiny, nearly unfunctional kitchen and leaking bathroom were ready for updates. The homeowners wanted to embrace their heritage, and also have a simple and sustainable space for their family to grow. The new spaces meld the home’s traditional elements with Traditional Scandinavian design influences. In the kitchen, a wall was opened to the dining room for natural light to carry between rooms and to create the appearance of space. Traditional Shaker style/flush inset custom white cabinetry with paneled front appliances were designed for a clean aesthetic. Custom recycled glass countertops, white subway tile, Kohler sink and faucet, beadboard ceilings, and refinished existing hardwood floors complete the kitchen after all new electrical and plumbing. In the bathroom, we were limited by space! After discussing the homeowners’ use of space, the decision was made to eliminate the existing tub for a new walk-in shower. By installing a curbless shower drain, floating sink and shelving, and wall-hung toilet; Castle was able to maximize floor space! White cabinetry, Kohler fixtures, and custom recycled glass countertops were carried upstairs to connect to the main floor remodel. White and black porcelain hex floors, marble accents, and oversized white tile on the walls perfect the space for a clean and minimal look, without losing its traditional roots! We love the black accents in the bathroom, including black edge on the shower niche and pops of black hex on the floors. Tour this project in person, September 28 – 29, during the 2019 Castle Home Tour!

The client was looking for a better way to utilize the small backyard of their Baltimore rowhome. The project included a patio using Outdoor Living by Belgard Aquaroc (permeable paver); a water feature using a natural Basalt column with LED light rings and mexican beach gravel; a workbench and storage cabinet with a Flagstone thermal cap and cedar trim; a wrought iron fence and pergola skeleton for plants to grow; wood fence on top of solid painted block; perennial plants in planter boxes; and landscape lighting.

Garlic growing in the bed with a Red Knockout Rose
This is an example of a small landscaping in Charlotte.

Detail of the ironwork fence recycled into wall art. The pieces are stunning, and their texture contrasts nicely with the old brick of the house wall. Vines will continue to grow over the ironwork and up the wall to soften the space. Joseph Andrew Townsend--townsendfilms; landscape Installation by John Shorb Landscaping, Inc.

We designed this informal, Asian inspired Zen garden with curved gravel paths, sitting areas with a fire pit, bamboo, and Japanese red maple. Their back yard was too shady to grow good grass so we made a great hang out space for them. Cutters Landscaping installed this project.

Simple doesn’t have to be boring, especially when your backyard is a lush ravine. This was the name of the game when it came to this traditional cottage-style house, with a contemporary flare. Emphasizing the great bones of the house with a simple pallet and contrasting trim helps to accentuate the high ceilings and classic mouldings, While adding saturated colours, and bold graphic wall murals brings lots of character to the house. This growing family now has the perfectly layered home, with plenty of their personality shining through.

Passive House with attached solar hot water heated greenhouse for year around food growing. The house has a super insulated building envelope with triple pane windows and a whole house ventilation system with 95% heat recovery. A wood stove with with an integrated heat exchanger proved backup for cloudy days but is hardly ever needed.

An original 1930’s English Tudor with only 2 bedrooms and 1 bath spanning about 1730 sq.ft. was purchased by a family with 2 amazing young kids, we saw the potential of this property to become a wonderful nest for the family to grow. The plan was to reach a 2550 sq. ft. home with 4 bedroom and 4 baths spanning over 2 stories. With continuation of the exiting architectural style of the existing home. A large 1000sq. ft. addition was constructed at the back portion of the house to include the expended master bedroom and a second-floor guest suite with a large observation balcony overlooking the mountains of Angeles Forest. An L shape staircase leading to the upstairs creates a moment of modern art with an all white walls and ceilings of this vaulted space act as a picture frame for a tall window facing the northern mountains almost as a live landscape painting that changes throughout the different times of day. Tall high sloped roof created an amazing, vaulted space in the guest suite with 4 uniquely designed windows extruding out with separate gable roof above. The downstairs bedroom boasts 9’ ceilings, extremely tall windows to enjoy the greenery of the backyard, vertical wood paneling on the walls add a warmth that is not seen very often in today’s new build. The master bathroom has a showcase 42sq. walk-in shower with its own private south facing window to illuminate the space with natural morning light. A larger format wood siding was using for the vanity backsplash wall and a private water closet for privacy. In the interior reconfiguration and remodel portion of the project the area serving as a family room was transformed to an additional bedroom with a private bath, a laundry room and hallway. The old bathroom was divided with a wall and a pocket door into a powder room the leads to a tub room. The biggest change was the kitchen area, as befitting to the 1930’s the dining room, kitchen, utility room and laundry room were all compartmentalized and enclosed. We eliminated all these partitions and walls to create a large open kitchen area that is completely open to the vaulted dining room. This way the natural light the washes the kitchen in the morning and the rays of sun that hit the dining room in the afternoon can be shared by the two areas. The opening to the living room remained only at 8’ to keep a division of space.

Katy, TX - Cane Island Ethnic Farmhouse Office Sneak Peak. Clients wanted to completely transform their small home office with an Adorn Color Consultation, new flooring, layered lighting, window treatments, and functional storage solutions for their growing small business.

This 1907 home in the Ericsson neighborhood of South Minneapolis needed some love. A tiny, nearly unfunctional kitchen and leaking bathroom were ready for updates. The homeowners wanted to embrace their heritage, and also have a simple and sustainable space for their family to grow. The new spaces meld the home’s traditional elements with Traditional Scandinavian design influences. In the kitchen, a wall was opened to the dining room for natural light to carry between rooms and to create the appearance of space. Traditional Shaker style/flush inset custom white cabinetry with paneled front appliances were designed for a clean aesthetic. Custom recycled glass countertops, white subway tile, Kohler sink and faucet, beadboard ceilings, and refinished existing hardwood floors complete the kitchen after all new electrical and plumbing. In the bathroom, we were limited by space! After discussing the homeowners’ use of space, the decision was made to eliminate the existing tub for a new walk-in shower. By installing a curbless shower drain, floating sink and shelving, and wall-hung toilet; Castle was able to maximize floor space! White cabinetry, Kohler fixtures, and custom recycled glass countertops were carried upstairs to connect to the main floor remodel. White and black porcelain hex floors, marble accents, and oversized white tile on the walls perfect the space for a clean and minimal look, without losing its traditional roots! We love the black accents in the bathroom, including black edge on the shower niche and pops of black hex on the floors. Tour this project in person, September 28 – 29, during the 2019 Castle Home Tour!

In a small house, love grows best.” Our Crieve Hall area in Nashville remodel is proof that you don’t need a massive space to make a big impact. By opening up the kitchen and reimagining the layout, we brought in so much light, function, and beauty to this charming home. From the cheerful backsplash and curated open shelving to the fresh neutral palette and golden touches, every inch is thoughtfully designed to feel bright, welcoming, and so loved. Swipe through to see how we transformed this cozy space into a home full of heart.

Black Eyed Susan - Stunning display of abundant, long-blooming flowers over a dark green basal leaves. Brilliant yellow flowers with black centers are excellent cut or outstanding in the garden or wildflower planting with day-lilies, asters and grasses. - Fast Growing; 3-4 ft tall and 1 1/2 ft wide - Blooms midsummer to early fall.

Huser's Firefighter Lawn & Landscape, 95% complete...added steel along the left edge to separate the mulch and stone on the landings leading to the back yard. grass would not grow in this area and was contributing to the erosion build up along the basement windows...

Patio next to potting shed and overlooking the grow zone
Patio vegetable garden - small modern backyard stone patio vegetable garden idea in Vancouver

Devereux Beach House Our client presented Flavin Architects with a unique challenge. On a site that previously hosted two houses, our client asked us to design a modestly sized house and separate art studio. Both structures reduce the height and bulk of the original buildings. The modern concrete house we designed is situated on the brow of a steep cliff overlooking Marblehead harbor. The concrete visually anchors the house to stone outcroppings on the property, and the low profile ensures the structure doesn’t conflict with the surround of traditional, gabled homes. Three primary concrete walls run north to south in parallel, forming the structural walls of the home. The entry sequence is carefully considered. The front door is hidden from view from the street. An entry path leads to an intimate courtyard, from which the front door is first visible. Upon entering, the visitor gets the first glimpse of the sea, framed by a portal of cast-in-place concrete. The kitchen, living, and dining space have a soaring 10-foot ceiling creating an especially spacious sense of interiority. A cantilevered deck runs the length of the living room, with a solid railing providing privacy from beach below. Where the house grows from a single to a two-story structure, the concrete walls rise magisterially to the full height of the building. The exterior concrete walls are accented with zinc gutters and downspouts, and wooden Ipe slats which softly filter light through the windows.

Rick Laughlin, APLD
Photo of a small traditional drought-tolerant and partial sun backyard stone vegetable garden landscape in Salt Lake City for fall.

This yard incorporates classic design for a busy family of 4. A curved four-part roman walkway leads up to the classic house and front yard patio. The backyard was designed with open entertaining in mind, while minimizing maintenance for the busy homeowners with a young family. With distinct dining, lounging, and gardening areas, this yard features all the amenities needed for this growing, family. Custom built raised Rundle and Pisa Planters offer the clients multiple options for planting flowers, or vegetables. With custom kichler lighting throughout the yard, even a late evening glass of wine by the fire is not out of the question. Photo credit: Jamen Rhodes