The Atherton House is a family compound for a professional couple in the tech industry, and their two teenage children. After living in Singapore, then Hong Kong, and building homes there, they looked forward to continuing their search for a new place to start a life and set down roots. The site is located on Atherton Avenue on a flat, 1 acre lot. The neighboring lots are of a similar size, and are filled with mature planting and gardens. The brief on this site was to create a house that would comfortably accommodate the busy lives of each of the family members, as well as provide opportunities for wonder and awe. Views on the site are internal. Our goal was to create an indoor- outdoor home that embraced the benign California climate. The building was conceived as a classic “H” plan with two wings attached by a double height entertaining space. The “H” shape allows for alcoves of the yard to be embraced by the mass of the building, creating different types of exterior space. The two wings of the home provide some sense of enclosure and privacy along the side property lines. The south wing contains three bedroom suites at the second level, as well as laundry. At the first level there is a guest suite facing east, powder room and a Library facing west. The north wing is entirely given over to the Primary suite at the top level, including the main bedroom, dressing and bathroom. The bedroom opens out to a roof terrace to the west, overlooking a pool and courtyard below. At the ground floor, the north wing contains the family room, kitchen and dining room. The family room and dining room each have pocketing sliding glass doors that dissolve the boundary between inside and outside. Connecting the wings is a double high living space meant to be comfortable, delightful and awe-inspiring. A custom fabricated two story circular stair of steel and glass connects the upper level to the main level, and down to the basement “lounge” below. An acrylic and steel bridge begins near one end of the stair landing and flies 40 feet to the children’s bedroom wing. People going about their day moving through the stair and bridge become both observed and observer. The front (EAST) wall is the all important receiving place for guests and family alike. There the interplay between yin and yang, weathering steel and the mature olive tree, empower the entrance. Most other materials are white and pure. The mechanical systems are efficiently combined hydronic heating and cooling, with no forced air required.

The Atherton House is a family compound for a professional couple in the tech industry, and their two teenage children. After living in Singapore, then Hong Kong, and building homes there, they looked forward to continuing their search for a new place to start a life and set down roots. The site is located on Atherton Avenue on a flat, 1 acre lot. The neighboring lots are of a similar size, and are filled with mature planting and gardens. The brief on this site was to create a house that would comfortably accommodate the busy lives of each of the family members, as well as provide opportunities for wonder and awe. Views on the site are internal. Our goal was to create an indoor- outdoor home that embraced the benign California climate. The building was conceived as a classic “H” plan with two wings attached by a double height entertaining space. The “H” shape allows for alcoves of the yard to be embraced by the mass of the building, creating different types of exterior space. The two wings of the home provide some sense of enclosure and privacy along the side property lines. The south wing contains three bedroom suites at the second level, as well as laundry. At the first level there is a guest suite facing east, powder room and a Library facing west. The north wing is entirely given over to the Primary suite at the top level, including the main bedroom, dressing and bathroom. The bedroom opens out to a roof terrace to the west, overlooking a pool and courtyard below. At the ground floor, the north wing contains the family room, kitchen and dining room. The family room and dining room each have pocketing sliding glass doors that dissolve the boundary between inside and outside. Connecting the wings is a double high living space meant to be comfortable, delightful and awe-inspiring. A custom fabricated two story circular stair of steel and glass connects the upper level to the main level, and down to the basement “lounge” below. An acrylic and steel bridge begins near one end of the stair landing and flies 40 feet to the children’s bedroom wing. People going about their day moving through the stair and bridge become both observed and observer. The front (EAST) wall is the all important receiving place for guests and family alike. There the interplay between yin and yang, weathering steel and the mature olive tree, empower the entrance. Most other materials are white and pure. The mechanical systems are efficiently combined hydronic heating and cooling, with no forced air required.

This chimneypiece exemplifies Soane's unique ability to reinterpret classical form and produce a design of stunning modernity. The inverted bow to the pilasters and stylised Greek Key motif could only have been conceived by Soane. The chimneypiece was originally commissioned for a property in Grosvenor Square, London in 1803. It is shown here in white marble with the 22" Byron forged steel fire basket and black slate hearth and slips.

At times, the most remarkable spaces emerge when we begin with a clean slate. In this particular project, we had the privilege to design a completely custom home, starting from scratch for our client. They simply entrusted us with a piece of land, and from that point forward, we handled everything. Our primary objective for this project was to craft an exceptional, contemporary, and practical dream home for a family of four. By creatively manipulating height variations at the front of the house, we conceived the standout element of the home: the impressive windows that showcase the bespoke steel spinal staircase.

Refined Continuity: Bridging Classical Architecture and Modern Living This comprehensive remodel of a grand Cow Hollow residence reimagines a historically expressive envelope through a lens of contemporary livability, precision detailing, and material restraint. The design approach carefully balances the home’s classical proportions and ornamental heritage with a refined, modern sensibility—evident in the disciplined palette of warm neutrals, soft plasters, pale oak flooring, and tailored millwork. Circulation has been clarified and subtly expanded to enhance spatial flow, while openings are leveraged to capture light, garden outlooks, and distant water views. Throughout, architectural interventions are executed with a high level of craft, ensuring that new insertions—whether cabinetry, railings, or apertures—read as seamless continuations of the original structure rather than applied elements. The kitchen serves as the operational and visual anchor of the home, conceived as a sculptural yet highly functional environment. Custom rift-cut cabinetry, softened through a desaturated finish, is paired with honed stone surfaces and integrated brass hardware to create a quiet, tactile richness. A monolithic island establishes a central gathering point, while perimeter work zones are carefully layered with concealed storage, integrated appliances, and open, backlit shelving that elevates everyday objects into curated displays. The adjacent bar and entertaining areas extend this language, reinforcing a cohesive hospitality-driven program. In parallel, the primary bathroom is designed as a serene, spa-like retreat, where bookmatched stone, frameless glass enclosures, and finely detailed metalwork converge. The composition prioritizes symmetry, clarity, and light—balancing generous volumes with intimate moments through integrated lighting, custom vanities, and a restrained material hierarchy. The library and ancillary living spaces introduce a more intimate scale, anchored by bespoke built-ins that combine closed storage with illuminated display niches, creating depth and rhythm along the walls. Here, material transitions and furniture integration are handled with particular nuance, allowing the architecture to support both quiet retreat and social gathering. A continuous language of custom railings—executed in refined metal profiles—threads through the interior and extends outward, where the exterior gate and garden elements have been reinterpreted to align with the home’s renewed identity. The entry sequence is now defined by a calibrated interplay of solidity and transparency, with sculptural metalwork and landscape integration establishing a sense of arrival that is both secure and elegant. Collectively, the project reflects a holistic transformation—one that elevates performance, livability, and aesthetic clarity while preserving the inherent dignity of the original architecture.

The owners of this custom 1980’s contemporary home were ready for a new look that they aim to achieve in several phases. Their first priority was reimagining three bathrooms: a powder room, guest bath, and master bath. The original bathrooms were dark and in a grim brown palette. Renovations included new windows and a new gray-and-white palette with accents of warm clear-finished Sapele (in the form of custom, floating vanities), and brushed-nickel hardware. Each renovated bathroom was conceived to be a unique modern design within the new overall palette. The tiny power room includes an underwater enveloping wallpaper from Hygge & West. The guest bath boasts a herringbone gray-and-white encaustic floor tile, and the master bathroom gained a new window opening, full-height wall tile, and a generous custom walk-in shower. Next phases will likely include a new garage, new entry, and exterior makeover.

The framed white shutters have frosted glass infills. The wardrobe doors are conceived in a variety of configurations and with ample scope for personalisation.

Conceived of as a C-shaped house with a small private courtyard and a large private rear yard, this new house maximizes the floor area available to build on this smaller Palo Alto lot. An Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) integrated into the main structure gave a floor area bonus. For now, it will be used for visiting relatives. One challenge of this design was keeping a low profile and proportional design while still meeting the FEMA flood plain requirement that the finished floor start about 3′ above grade. The new house has four bedrooms (including the attached ADU), a separate family room with a window seat, a music room, a prayer room, and a large living space that opens to the private small courtyard as well as a large covered patio at the rear. Mature trees around the perimeter of the lot were preserved, and new ones planted, for private indoor-outdoor living. C-shaped house, New home, ADU, Palo Alto, CA, courtyard, KA Project Team: John Klopf, AIA, Angela Todorova, Lucie Danigo
Structural Engineer: ZFA Structural Engineers
Landscape Architect: Outer Space Landscape Architects
Contractor: Coast to Coast Development
Photography: ©2023 Mariko Reed
Year Completed: 2022 Location: Palo Alto, CA

A Whole House Transformation – conceived as a remodel and addition, the final design iteration for this home is uniquely multifaceted. There were structural considerations and the overall floor plan design centered on maximizing the views. Additions to this home totaled over 1,200 square feet. What was once the master suite, on the second floor, is now a teenagers bedroom. The master suite was relocated to the first floor and is now overlooking the pool, pool house and patio with panoramic views of the backyard. The front entrance closet became the new entrance for the master suite, which includes a sprawling bathroom and boutique closet. Underneath this area is the new theater and billiard room located in the lower level. A new front entrance and roof gables were added for a seamless new exterior look on the right side of the house. The new functional home office, gourmet kitchen, wainscot dining room, and laundry on the main level were taken down to the studs. A new traditional style for the home was created with new cabinetry, trim and millwork, space planning and detail. The lower level was gutted and turned into an award winning showpiece with gym, full wet bar and kitchen, wine nook, family room and game room marrying the new addition with theater and billiard area. The entire exterior stucco was taken off the home and pool house replacing it with stone, stone pillars, shakes and board and batten. The small screen deck was torn off making for expansive 3 season living with a new covered stone grill area. The patio was expanded with a stone fireplace overlooking the entire backyard and pool area. Adding to the new design were landscape features with a new concrete driveway, stone address pier light, stamped concrete walkway to the newly created front covered porch and bead board ceiling, creating an amazing first impression.

7 On 7th is a luxurious townhome complex in the flourishing enclave of North Palm Trail, just steps from the beaches of Delray. Each contemporary unit has three bedrooms, three and a half bathrooms, a covered patio, two car garage and private individual pool. The five interior units offer 2,353 square feet and are booked by the 2,960 square feet end units. This modern expression of urban architecture and design was conceived by M2 Development and constructed by Marc Julien Homes.

The owner proposed a Rustic Modern aesthetic, and the design highlights trees harvested from the site as columns for the timber frame structure. Nestled into a Western slope the house enjoys dramatic views to the East. Conceived as the ultimate family house, the main floor is the heart of the residence, and the third floor houses the master bedroom suite with guest rooms lower level. Photo by Tom Bodell

This residential landscape concept explores how a steep backyard could become a connected sequence of outdoor rooms without removing the character of the existing terrain. The proposed layout includes an upper cedar dining pavilion, broad stone circulation steps, a secluded woodland lounge and a planted rain garden conceived to organize surface runoff. Ferns, grasses and multi-stem trees provide privacy, seasonal texture and a natural transition to the surrounding landscape. The design focuses on safer circulation, usable outdoor space and year-round visual interest. Concept design and AI-assisted visualization by LANDYUO. The images represent an unbuilt design study, not a completed project. Final grading and drainage require site-specific professional review.

The design team for this project gave Valders Stone & Marble, Inc. the following design objective: “Situated on the eastern shore of Long Island, the design of this beach house is conceived as emerging from the landscape. The house is composed of two elements: the main house and a pavilion situated on a base that extends into the landscape. From the driveway entrance on the northern side, the house appears as a largely solid, stone-clad volume with rectangular perforations for the windows. In contrast, the more private southern façade is composed almost entirely of glass to maximize ocean views and sun exposure. What initially presents itself as a classic modern box unfolds to become an unexpectedly open sculptural figure.” The design firm chose a warm beige/buff color palette for their design. The material needed to hold a specific color range, and the stone needed to be suitable for a multitude of applications.Additionally, the material needed to perform well when installed horizontally and vertically in close proximity to the Atlantic Ocean. The unique performance characteristics and color of Wisconsin Dolomite made it the obvious choice for the project. Valders Dolomitic limestone was used in several facets of this stunning modern design. Applications of the material included, but were not limited to: blind anchored exterior façade panels, light weight honeycomb panels for soffit/overhang applications, interior and exterior paving, pedestal paving, pool coping, weir stones, stair treads, site walls, landscape/hardscape applications, and stone in its raw/natural form. Eleven months lapsed between the setting of the first stone and the installation of the fire pit. Given the complexity of the project and the time frame for completion, the entire team of architects, engineers and builders combined their efforts to make this truly a dream come true.

The client’s brief was to create a space reminiscent of their beloved downtown Chicago industrial loft, in a rural farm setting, while incorporating their unique collection of vintage and architectural salvage. The result is a custom designed space that blends life on the farm with an industrial sensibility. The new house is located on approximately the same footprint as the original farm house on the property. Barely visible from the road due to the protection of conifer trees and a long driveway, the house sits on the edge of a field with views of the neighbouring 60 acre farm and creek that runs along the length of the property. The main level open living space is conceived as a transparent social hub for viewing the landscape. Large sliding glass doors create strong visual connections with an adjacent barn on one end and a mature black walnut tree on the other. The house is situated to optimize views, while at the same time protecting occupants from blazing summer sun and stiff winter winds. The wall to wall sliding doors on the south side of the main living space provide expansive views to the creek, and allow for breezes to flow throughout. The wrap around aluminum louvered sun shade tempers the sun. The subdued exterior material palette is defined by horizontal wood siding, standing seam metal roofing and large format polished concrete blocks. The interiors were driven by the owners’ desire to have a home that would properly feature their unique vintage collection, and yet have a modern open layout. Polished concrete floors and steel beams on the main level set the industrial tone and are paired with a stainless steel island counter top, backsplash and industrial range hood in the kitchen. An old drinking fountain is built-in to the mudroom millwork, carefully restored bi-parting doors frame the library entrance, and a vibrant antique stained glass panel is set into the foyer wall allowing diffused coloured light to spill into the hallway. Upstairs, refurbished claw foot tubs are situated to view the landscape. The double height library with mezzanine serves as a prominent feature and quiet retreat for the residents. The white oak millwork exquisitely displays the homeowners’ vast collection of books and manuscripts. The material palette is complemented by steel counter tops, stainless steel ladder hardware and matte black metal mezzanine guards. The stairs carry the same language, with white oak open risers and stainless steel woven wire mesh panels set into a matte black steel frame. The overall effect is a truly sublime blend of an industrial modern aesthetic punctuated by personal elements of the owners’ storied life. Photography: James Brittain

A rare and secluded paradise, the Woodvale Estate is a true modern masterpiece perfect to impress even the most discerning of clientele. At the pinnacle of luxury, this one-of-a-kind new construction features all the modern amenities that one could ever dream of. Situated on an expansive and lush over 35,000 square foot lot with truly unparalleled privacy, this modern estate boasts over 21,000 square feet of meticulously crafted and designer done living space. Behind the hedged, walled, and gated entry find a large motor court leading into the jaw-dropping entryway to this majestic modern marvel. Superlative features include chef's prep kitchen, home theater, professional gym, full spa, hair salon, elevator, temperature-controlled wine storage, 14 car garage that doubles as an event space, outdoor basketball court, and fabulous detached two-story guesthouse. The primary bedroom suite offers a perfectly picturesque escape complete with massive dual walk-in closets, dual spa-like baths, massive outdoor patio, romantic fireplace, and separate private balcony with hot tub. With a truly optimal layout for enjoying the best modern amenities and embracing the California lifestyle, the open floor plan provides spacious living, dining, and family rooms and open entertainer's kitchen with large chef's island, breakfast bar, state-of-the-art appliances, and motorized sliding glass doors for the ultimate enjoyment with ease, class, and sophistication. Enjoy every conceivable amenity and luxury afforded in this truly magnificent and awe-inspiring property that simply put, stands in a class all its own.

Innovative and modern, the Stressless E200 is more beautiful than you can imagine and more comfortable than you can conceive. In addition to the design and quality that Stressless sofas are famous for, the E200 is equipped with the Stressless patented ErgoAdapt® system. Created by Stressless, ErgoAdapt allows the cushion of the sofa to tilt down automatically the moment you take a seat placing your body in the perfect sitting position. The brilliance of ErgoAdapt is that if you prefer to lie down on your sofa, the cushion automatically elevates to a flat position, placing your body in the perfect lying position. The simple lines and classic proportions make the E200 the choice of those who want the very best of contemporary Scandinavian design. With the Stressless E200 you can choose between different back cushions and get your own combination of colors and upholstery in fabric or leather. The soft back-cushion is filled with a mix of ripped foam and down, which shapes to give you optimum support while sitting on the sofa. As with all down cushions, you need to regularly plump them back into shape, and fabric back cushions should also be turned regularly.

Jardinier du Roi ®, manufacture French planters designed during the 17th century by André Le Notre, the gardener of King Louis 14th, originally conceived for the orangerie of the “Chateau de Versailles”. These planters are hand made, and made of cast aluminum alloy in combination with steel and the side panels are made of wood. The French touch for your garden, Jardinier du Roi french planters is the first choice for all professional garden designers and landscape architects around the world. Also used at the "les plus beaux jardins de France", and "jardin remarquable" from France, as well as in most of all the "parcs et jardins de france".

Bestlite has been in continuous production since 1930. Winston Churchill is numbered amongst its many famous users. The Bestlite design was conceived by Robert Dudley Best who was highly influenced by the Bauhaus, a school in Germany that merged practical crafts with the fine arts and became famous for the design concept that it publicized and taught. Bauhaus had a profound influence upon subsequent developments in art, architecture, graphic design, interior design and industrial design and Bauhaus style became one of the most influential forces behind Modernist architecture and modern design. Eighty years on, the Bestlite design stays close to its industrial roots and true to its original design. Bestlite is held in permanent collections at both the Victoria & Albert Museum and the Design Museum in London. Loved by architects, designers and design aficionados throughout its 80-year history, today Bestlite enjoys global iconic status. DIMENSIONS: 59" H, 11" W, 45.7" D, 8.3" Ø CORD LENGTH: Approx 6.6' MATERIAL: Solid brass with a clear lacquer. Base with an integrated steel counterweight. Textile covered wire. A small key is included to tighten the joint of the lamp arm if needed. BULB: 30 W Halogen with E14 base. DETAILS: UL approved LEAD TIME: 1-2 Weeks

The formal dining room was conceived as a bright, white-on-white space that shimmers with light and texture. White plaster walls gleam against glossy ebony trim. Pearlescent mica stone wallpaper glows with light as applied to the inside of the china cabinets and to the expanse of the ceiling. The designer commissioned a local Pittsburgh artist for a blown glass tree sculpture to grace the gleaming center table. The round table shape provides generous and comfortable seating for guests – while the white faux-leather upholstery is easy to clean and maintain. Above the table, a specially designed chandelier bursts with countless glass bulbs, floating like a luminous cloud overhead. A striking sideboard with a secret butlers’ reserve compartment by Baker offers a contrasting punctuation and completes the room. Dave Bryce Photography