The home composed of natural materials – wood shingles, metal roofing and stone – is in harmony with its surroundings.
Inspiration for a coastal exterior home remodel in Milwaukee

Country kitchen photo in Chicago

Inspiration for a large country single-wall porcelain tile, gray floor and wood ceiling open concept kitchen remodel in Other with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, quartz countertops, white backsplash, quartz backsplash, stainless steel appliances, an island and white countertops

This is a beautiful home remodel project in Arlington Virginia
Mid-sized minimalist l-shaped medium tone wood floor open concept kitchen photo in DC Metro with an undermount sink, recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, granite countertops, stainless steel appliances and an island

This New England farmhouse style+5,000 square foot new custom home is located at The Pinehills in Plymouth MA. The design of Talcott Pines recalls the simple architecture of the American farmhouse. The massing of the home was designed to appear as though it was built over time. The center section – the “Big House” - is flanked on one side by a three-car garage (“The Barn”) and on the other side by the master suite (”The Tower”). The building masses are clad with a series of complementary sidings. The body of the main house is clad in horizontal cedar clapboards. The garage – following in the barn theme - is clad in vertical cedar board-and-batten siding. The master suite “tower” is composed of whitewashed clapboards with mitered corners, for a more contemporary look. Lastly, the lower level of the home is sheathed in a unique pattern of alternating white cedar shingles, reinforcing the horizontal nature of the building.

Trendy light wood floor living room photo in Los Angeles with white walls

This august negative edge pool was built between a rock and a hard place. We built the pool on a steep topographical slope. I decided to build a radius footing under the radius weir wall prior to building the pool. We installed vertical rebar precisely where we would build the radius weir wall so that we could secure the weir wall to the footing. We used all indigenous stone on the veneers. The excavation required a fair amount of rock hammering. Every bit of rock was used on site. If you note the rim, it is composed of a field stone that was chiseled on site to produce a smooth, level and even spill. From downhill, the pool is equally spectacular in that all the walls are finished with indigenous field stone. This project was designed in house. Because of the topographical slope, the landscape begged for a negative edge. The home owner wanted a naturalistic setting. The indigenous veneer stone was used on all walls and rim coping. The patio is composed of Norwegian Buff stone, which is a natural cleft green, gold, brown hard stone but soft in color. The coping was bull nosed in order to soften the long lines. This pool is harmonious with the whole mature landscape. The vista from the pool was focused on the landscape afar and the reservoir. The home owner said to me that the project was dead if we had to cut down trees. I was forced to work around run of the mill evergreens. We were facing a wetland setback to one side, a rear yard setback to another side and a customer who insisted that we not cut down trees. I personally appeared before the Zoning Board of Appeals to argue the case that we needed relief because of constraints some real and imposed. I positioned and designed the pool on a steep slope because there were no trees. Once I committed the design to the steep slope, I incorporated all of the natural landscape settings into the poolscape.The pool is detached from the home. We build numerous natural steps to transition from house elevation to pool elevation. From the house the steps are less formal. As the walkway meanders through the wooded tree setting, the pathway was designed to be casual and inviting in order to create a garden space that was independent of the poolscape below but tangent. As you approach the pool, we built a structured all natural stone and Norwegian Buff grand stair with piers and lights that opens up to the poolscape. We incorporated a simple cabana and outdoor kitchen. We built wing walls on the far side to accentuate the rim of the negative edge and to provide a safety barrier between the patio and the elevation below. In the wing walls, there are fountains that are cascading opposite to the negative edge. The catch pool is 5 above grade and finished in indigenous stone. We specifically designed the catch pool walls to satisfy the barrier requirement into the catch pool.

photography: Julie Soefer
Example of a dining room design in Houston

The owners of this home came to us with a plan to build a new high-performance home that physically and aesthetically fit on an infill lot in an old well-established neighborhood in Bellingham. The Craftsman exterior detailing, Scandinavian exterior color palette, and timber details help it blend into the older neighborhood. At the same time the clean modern interior allowed their artistic details and displayed artwork take center stage. We started working with the owners and the design team in the later stages of design, sharing our expertise with high-performance building strategies, custom timber details, and construction cost planning. Our team then seamlessly rolled into the construction phase of the project, working with the owners and Michelle, the interior designer until the home was complete. The owners can hardly believe the way it all came together to create a bright, comfortable, and friendly space that highlights their applied details and favorite pieces of art. Photography by Radley Muller Photography​ Design by Deborah Todd Building Design Services Interior Design by Spiral Studios​

Uniquely composed built-ins house the technical equipment in the media room. There are nooks for all of the equipment to fit comfortably into this contemporary space. Photo: Ryan Farnau

The primary closet was designed as a built-in millwork environment rather than a storage room. Cabinetry configuration, shelving rhythm, and drawer placement were resolved during the design selection phase to support daily use while maintaining visual order. A central window seat introduces symmetry and natural light, creating a focal point that softens the linearity of the cabinetry walls. Open shelving, concealed drawers, and integrated hanging zones establish a clear organizational hierarchy, allowing function to remain seamless and visually quiet. Material selection stays restrained — warm wood tones, soft textiles, and subtle hardware — reinforcing continuity with the home’s architectural palette. The result is a primary closet that reads as composed interior architecture: efficient, tailored, and scaled for routine without excess.

Photography: Rustic White
Bedroom - mid-sized contemporary master light wood floor bedroom idea in Atlanta with white walls and no fireplace

Minimalist home design photo in Seattle

This early 19th century house was renovated to incorporate a large wing which allowed for a master bedroom suite, custom kitchen, living room and study. The arched form of the large window and the recessed bay window recall later 19th century American architecture. The original stair was restored. The new railing is composed of antique newels and reproduced balusters. Custom structural columns, adorned with aluminum leaves and tiny light fixtures divide the spaces of the kitchen. Spruce cabinets and dark green granite highlight the kitchen. The cabinets are arranged as pieces of furniture, each serving a particular purpose. The second floor master bedroom opens onto a sleeping porch.

Example of a beach style dining room design in Austin

A covered verandah, a garage studio, and a cedar bridge work in harmony to extend the interior living areas of this modern home out into the back yard. A rock garden nestles in the H-shaped plan of the house, and the composed landscape crosses under a bridge and breaks into stepping stones to help define the soft transitions necessary for this tranquil setting. Orchestrated paths articulate the different destinations: the living area and music room in the house, and the garage studio/ping pong arena. Light moves across the space from late morning to dusk and dapples through the trees, highlighting Japanese grasses and softening the division between interior and exterior serenity.

Marble Mosaic Tile with Brass Inaly
Inspiration for a small timeless master white tile and marble tile marble floor, white floor and single-sink alcove shower remodel in New York with shaker cabinets, black cabinets, a two-piece toilet, yellow walls, an undermount sink, quartz countertops, a hinged shower door, white countertops, a niche and a built-in vanity

This photo shows the retractable screen in the down position. The previous photo has the screen up.
Inspiration for a mid-sized transitional backyard stone patio remodel in San Francisco with a roof extension

Framed by mature trees and nestled within Sarasota’s historic McClellan Park, Sunset Place is a home shaped by a deep understanding of, and sensibility for, its setting—reflecting the charm of the neighborhood, the rhythm of downtown living, and the client’s vision of entertaining, connection, and family life. Every decision—from site strategy to spatial flow—was made with intention: to support a lifestyle centered on warmth, community, and a strong sense of place. At its core, the project is a masterclass in leveraging zoning and code to unlock the full potential of a complex site. Though landlocked, the home lives like waterfront—offering openness, privacy, and expansive sunset views. Placing the pool in the front yard, within the 25-foot setback, redefines the entry experience. It captures the western light and sets a relaxed, resort-like tone from the very first step inside the gate. Paired with a rear-loaded garage, accessed discreetly via the side setback, the layout transforms the site’s limitations into its greatest assets. Architecture and landscape take center stage, while the full buildable envelope is maximized without compromise. A natural rise of eight feet from front to back—rare in Sarasota—was embraced as an opportunity. Site walls function as both retaining structures and architectural elements, elevating the pool terrace and entry by over four feet to align with the main interior floor level. The result is a fluid connection between indoors and out: kitchen, dining, and living spaces unfold onto the terrace, blurring boundaries and enhancing everyday rituals as well as social gatherings. Architecturally, the home is coastal contemporary: open yet composed, airy yet grounded. Clarity in the massing tells a story of the inhabitants from the first glance, while the interior planning offers spatial generosity and ease. The interiors echo this sensibility with a palette that is soft, natural, and tactile—serene without being neutral. The landscape design provides a lush tropical frame, softening edges and reinforcing privacy through layered plantings rather than enclosure. Ultimately, Sunset Place is not defined by any single gesture, but by the way the home reflects its owners. Their gracious, family-centered nature informed every layer of design—resulting in a space that feels deeply personal, tailored for connection and ease, and perfectly suited for gathering, unwinding, and watching the sun slip behind the trees from the comfort of home.