Rear Facade Photo. "Business in the Front, Party in the Back" This project provided Mark with the opportunity to revisit a project from the first year of his practice. Our clients were the third owners since Mark first worked on this house in 1987. The original project had consisted of a small addition to the rear of an existing single-story (over garage) house. The new owners wanted to completely remodel the house and add two floors. In addition they wanted it to be MODERN. This was a perfect fit for where the firm had evolved to over the years, but the neighbors weren't having it. The neighbors were very organized and didn’t like the idea of a large modern structure in what was a mostly traditional block. We were able to work with the neighbors to agree to a design that was Craftsman on the front and modern on the interior and rear. Because of this dichotomy, we sometimes refer to this as the "Mullet House". We were able to minimize the apparent height of the facade by hiding the top floor behind a dormered roof. Unique features of this house include a stunning roof deck with glass guardrails, a custom stair with a zigzag edge and a guardrail composed of vertical stainless steel tubes and an asymmetrical fireplace composition. Photo by Thomas Kuoh

A busy working mother’s dark and dismal home office is transformed into a lively and inviting sanctuary. Dated, stained wood shelves are painted a flirtatious pale pink. The ceiling is emboldened with unexpected, outsized floral blossom wallpaper in provocative shades of fuchsia and violet. Oak floors are refinished and topped with an acid washed cow hide rug. Walls are swathed in multiple layers of pastel paint, mimicking grass cloth to add texture and interest. Delicate brass sconces flank a dimensional marble sculpture behind an elegant desk featuring fluted sides and tapered legs that further nod to femininity. The formidable, artisanal chandelier with multiple swirled glass orbs, allows light to gracefully shimmer across the space’s newfound sensual appeal.

With an eye toward accessibility, this bathroom is designed to ease the everyday routines of a homeowner who often uses a wheelchair. Universal design strategies guided the project structurally with ADA-compatible elements incorporated throughout. An expansive shower with a curbless transition replaces a large corner tub allowing our homeowner easier movement throughout the space. Grab bars add a safety net and are placed purposefully around the room. Photos by Spacecrafting Photography

A modern new kitchen within a renovated rambler.
Eat-in kitchen - mid-sized modern galley porcelain tile eat-in kitchen idea in Minneapolis with a double-bowl sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, quartz countertops, gray backsplash, glass sheet backsplash, stainless steel appliances and an island

This project is a new 5,900 sf. primary residence for a couple with three children. The site is slightly elevated above the residential street and enjoys winter views of the Potomac River. The family’s requirements included five bedrooms, five full baths, a powder room, family room, dining room, eat-in kitchen, walk-in pantry, mudroom, lower level recreation room, exercise room, media room and numerous storage spaces. Also included was the request for an outdoor terrace and adequate outdoor storage, including provision for the storage of bikes and kayaks. The family needed a home that would have two entrances, the primary entrance, and a mudroom entry that would provide generous storage spaces for the family’s active lifestyle. Due to the small lot size, the challenge was to accommodate the family’s requirements, while remaining sympathetic to the scale of neighboring homes. The residence employs a “T” shaped plan to aid in minimizing the massing visible from the street, while organizing interior spaces around a private outdoor terrace space accessible from the living and dining spaces. A generous front porch and a gambrel roof diminish the home’s scale, providing a welcoming view along the street front. A path along the right side of the residence leads to the family entrance and a small outbuilding that provides ready access to the bikes and kayaks while shielding the rear terrace from view of neighboring homes. The two entrances join a central stair hall that leads to the eat-in kitchen overlooking the great room. Window seats and a custom built banquette provide gathering spaces, while the French doors connect the great room to the terrace where the arbor transitions to the garden. A first floor guest suite, separate from the family areas of the home, affords privacy for both guests and hosts alike. The second floor Master Suite enjoys views of the Potomac River through a second floor arched balcony visible from the front. The exterior is composed of a board and batten first floor with a cedar shingled second floor and gambrel roof. These two contrasting materials and the inclusion of a partially recessed front porch contribute to the perceived diminution of the home’s scale relative to its smaller neighbors. The overall intention was to create a close fit between the residence and the neighboring context, both built and natural. Builder: E.H. Johnstone Builders Anice Hoachlander Photography

A young family with a wooded, triangular lot in Ipswich, Massachusetts wanted to take on a highly creative, organic, and unrushed process in designing their new home. The parents of three boys had contemporary ideas for living, including phasing the construction of different structures over time as the kids grew so they could maximize the options for use on their land. They hoped to build a net zero energy home that would be cozy on the very coldest days of winter, using cost-efficient methods of home building. The house needed to be sited to minimize impact on the land and trees, and it was critical to respect a conservation easement on the south border of the lot. Finally, the design would be contemporary in form and feel, but it would also need to fit into a classic New England context, both in terms of materials used and durability. We were asked to honor the notions of “surprise and delight,” and that inspired everything we designed for the family. The highly unique home consists of a three-story form, composed mostly of bedrooms and baths on the top two floors and a cross axis of shared living spaces on the first level. This axis extends out to an oversized covered porch, open to the south and west. The porch connects to a two-story garage with flex space above, used as a guest house, play room, and yoga studio depending on the day. A floor-to-ceiling ribbon of glass wraps the south and west walls of the lower level, bringing in an abundance of natural light and linking the entire open plan to the yard beyond. The master suite takes up the entire top floor, and includes an outdoor deck with a shower. The middle floor has extra height to accommodate a variety of multi-level play scenarios in the kids’ rooms. Many of the materials used in this house are made from recycled or environmentally friendly content, or they come from local sources. The high performance home has triple glazed windows and all materials, adhesives, and sealants are low toxicity and safe for growing kids. Photographer credit: Irvin Serrano

Monica Banks
Mid-sized u-shaped open concept kitchen photo in Boston with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, green cabinets, quartz countertops, white backsplash, stainless steel appliances and an island

Hallway - traditional dark wood floor hallway idea in Auckland with white walls

This home in Napa off Silverado was rebuilt after burning down in the 2017 fires. Architect David Rulon, a former associate of Howard Backen, known for this Napa Valley industrial modern farmhouse style. Composed in mostly a neutral palette, the bones of this house are bathed in diffused natural light pouring in through the clerestory windows. Beautiful textures and the layering of pattern with a mix of materials add drama to a neutral backdrop. The homeowners are pleased with their open floor plan and fluid seating areas, which allow them to entertain large gatherings. The result is an engaging space, a personal sanctuary and a true reflection of it's owners' unique aesthetic. Inspirational features are metal fireplace surround and book cases as well as Beverage Bar shelving done by Wyatt Studio, painted inset style cabinets by Gamma, moroccan CLE tile backsplash and quartzite countertops.

In-home professional recording studio
Carpeted home studio photo in Chicago

The entry to this home is composed of terrazzo, hot rolled steel wall cladding, concrete block, and glass overlooking the pool. The custom pivoting entry door is made of hot rolled steel with a full height stainless steel door pull. Bill Timmerman - Timmerman Photography

The house exterior is composed of two different patterns of wood siding. The closely spaced T&G siding is for the upper portion of the house, while the more broadly spaced channel siding is used at the base of the house. The house overlooks Puget Sound. Photos by Benjamin Benschneider

Builder: Falcon Custom Homes Interior Designer: Mary Burns - Gallery Photographer: Mike Buck A perfectly proportioned story and a half cottage, the Farfield is full of traditional details and charm. The front is composed of matching board and batten gables flanking a covered porch featuring square columns with pegged capitols. A tour of the rear façade reveals an asymmetrical elevation with a tall living room gable anchoring the right and a low retractable-screened porch to the left. Inside, the front foyer opens up to a wide staircase clad in horizontal boards for a more modern feel. To the left, and through a short hall, is a study with private access to the main levels public bathroom. Further back a corridor, framed on one side by the living rooms stone fireplace, connects the master suite to the rest of the house. Entrance to the living room can be gained through a pair of openings flanking the stone fireplace, or via the open concept kitchen/dining room. Neutral grey cabinets featuring a modern take on a recessed panel look, line the perimeter of the kitchen, framing the elongated kitchen island. Twelve leather wrapped chairs provide enough seating for a large family, or gathering of friends. Anchoring the rear of the main level is the screened in porch framed by square columns that match the style of those found at the front porch. Upstairs, there are a total of four separate sleeping chambers. The two bedrooms above the master suite share a bathroom, while the third bedroom to the rear features its own en suite. The fourth is a large bunkroom above the homes two-stall garage large enough to host an abundance of guests.

Composed of Ward + Blake Architect’s patented EarthWall post-tensioned steel rammed earth wall construction, the earthen walls literally rise from the soil that was used in their construction. Photo Credit: Roger Wade

The Aerius - Modern Craftsman in Ridgefield Washington by Cascade West Development Inc. Upon opening the 8ft tall door and entering the foyer an immediate display of light, color and energy is presented to us in the form of 13ft coffered ceilings, abundant natural lighting and an ornate glass chandelier. Beckoning across the hall an entrance to the Great Room is beset by the Master Suite, the Den, a central stairway to the Upper Level and a passageway to the 4-bay Garage and Guest Bedroom with attached bath. Advancement to the Great Room reveals massive, built-in vertical storage, a vast area for all manner of social interactions and a bountiful showcase of the forest scenery that allows the natural splendor of the outside in. The sleek corner-kitchen is composed with elevated countertops. These additional 4in create the perfect fit for our larger-than-life homeowner and make stooping and drooping a distant memory. The comfortable kitchen creates no spatial divide and easily transitions to the sun-drenched dining nook, complete with overhead coffered-beam ceiling. This trifecta of function, form and flow accommodates all shapes and sizes and allows any number of events to be hosted here. On the rare occasion more room is needed, the sliding glass doors can be opened allowing an out-pour of activity. Almost doubling the square-footage and extending the Great Room into the arboreous locale is sure to guarantee long nights out under the stars. Cascade West Facebook: https://goo.gl/MCD2U1 Cascade West Website: https://goo.gl/XHm7Un These photos, like many of ours, were taken by the good people of ExposioHDR - Portland, Or Exposio Facebook: https://goo.gl/SpSvyo Exposio Website: https://goo.gl/Cbm8Ya

The Aerius - Modern Craftsman in Ridgefield Washington by Cascade West Development Inc. Upon opening the 8ft tall door and entering the foyer an immediate display of light, color and energy is presented to us in the form of 13ft coffered ceilings, abundant natural lighting and an ornate glass chandelier. Beckoning across the hall an entrance to the Great Room is beset by the Master Suite, the Den, a central stairway to the Upper Level and a passageway to the 4-bay Garage and Guest Bedroom with attached bath. Advancement to the Great Room reveals massive, built-in vertical storage, a vast area for all manner of social interactions and a bountiful showcase of the forest scenery that allows the natural splendor of the outside in. The sleek corner-kitchen is composed with elevated countertops. These additional 4in create the perfect fit for our larger-than-life homeowner and make stooping and drooping a distant memory. The comfortable kitchen creates no spatial divide and easily transitions to the sun-drenched dining nook, complete with overhead coffered-beam ceiling. This trifecta of function, form and flow accommodates all shapes and sizes and allows any number of events to be hosted here. On the rare occasion more room is needed, the sliding glass doors can be opened allowing an out-pour of activity. Almost doubling the square-footage and extending the Great Room into the arboreous locale is sure to guarantee long nights out under the stars. Cascade West Facebook: https://goo.gl/MCD2U1 Cascade West Website: https://goo.gl/XHm7Un These photos, like many of ours, were taken by the good people of ExposioHDR - Portland, Or Exposio Facebook: https://goo.gl/SpSvyo Exposio Website: https://goo.gl/Cbm8Ya

A young family with a wooded, triangular lot in Ipswich, Massachusetts wanted to take on a highly creative, organic, and unrushed process in designing their new home. The parents of three boys had contemporary ideas for living, including phasing the construction of different structures over time as the kids grew so they could maximize the options for use on their land. They hoped to build a net zero energy home that would be cozy on the very coldest days of winter, using cost-efficient methods of home building. The house needed to be sited to minimize impact on the land and trees, and it was critical to respect a conservation easement on the south border of the lot. Finally, the design would be contemporary in form and feel, but it would also need to fit into a classic New England context, both in terms of materials used and durability. We were asked to honor the notions of “surprise and delight,” and that inspired everything we designed for the family. The highly unique home consists of a three-story form, composed mostly of bedrooms and baths on the top two floors and a cross axis of shared living spaces on the first level. This axis extends out to an oversized covered porch, open to the south and west. The porch connects to a two-story garage with flex space above, used as a guest house, play room, and yoga studio depending on the day. A floor-to-ceiling ribbon of glass wraps the south and west walls of the lower level, bringing in an abundance of natural light and linking the entire open plan to the yard beyond. The master suite takes up the entire top floor, and includes an outdoor deck with a shower. The middle floor has extra height to accommodate a variety of multi-level play scenarios in the kids’ rooms. Many of the materials used in this house are made from recycled or environmentally friendly content, or they come from local sources. The high performance home has triple glazed windows and all materials, adhesives, and sealants are low toxicity and safe for growing kids. Photographer credit: Irvin Serrano

Patio - modern patio idea

Inspiration for a large timeless backyard concrete paver and rectangular pool fountain remodel in Richmond