Looking through the house to Port Susan Bay, Camano Island, WA. Photography by Lucas Henning.
Inspiration for a small modern gray one-story concrete house exterior remodel in Seattle with a shed roof and a metal roof

Creation Builders Inc
Inspiration for a large contemporary backyard concrete paver patio remodel in Los Angeles with a fire pit and no cover

Ciro Coelho Photography
Minimalist carpeted multiuse home gym photo in Santa Barbara

We were contacted by a family named Pesek who lived near Memorial Drive on the West side of Houston. They lived in a stately home built in the late 1950’s. Many years back, they had contracted a local pool company to install an old lagoon-style pool, which they had since grown tired of. When they initially called us, they wanted to know if we could build them an outdoor room at the far end of the swimming pool. We scheduled a free consultation at a time convenient to them, and we drove out to their residence to take a look at the property. After a quick survey of the back yard, rear of the home, and the swimming pool, we determined that building an outdoor room as an addition to their existing landscaping design would not bring them the results they expected. The pool was visibly dated with an early “70’s” look, which not only clashed with the late 50’s style of home architecture, but guaranteed an even greater clash with any modern-style outdoor room we constructed. Luckily for the Peseks, we offered an even better landscaping plan than the one they had hoped for. We proposed the construction of a new outdoor room and an entirely new swimming pool. Both of these new structures would be built around the classical geometry of proportional right angles. This would allow a very modern design to compliment an older home, because basic geometric patterns are universal in many architectural designs used throughout history. In this case, both the swimming pool and the outdoor rooms were designed as interrelated quadrilateral forms with proportional right angles that created the illusion of lengthened distance and a sense of Classical elegance. This proved a perfect complement to a house that had originally been built as a symbolic emblem of a simpler, more rugged and absolute era. Though reminiscent of classical design and complimentary to the conservative design of the home, the interior of the outdoor room was ultra-modern in its array of comfort and convenience. The Peseks felt this would be a great place to hold birthday parties for their child. With this new outdoor room, the Peseks could take the party outside at any time of day or night, and at any time of year. We also built the structure to be fully functional as an outdoor kitchen as well as an outdoor entertainment area. There was a smoker, a refrigerator, an ice maker, and a water heater—all intended to eliminate any need to return to the house once the party began. Seating and entertainment systems were also added to provide state of the art fun for adults and children alike. We installed a flat-screen plasma TV, and we wired it for cable. The swimming pool was built between the outdoor room and the rear entrance to the house. We got rid of the old lagoon-pool design which geometrically clashed with the right angles of the house and outdoor room. We then had a completely new pool built, in the shape of a rectangle, with a rather innovative coping design. We showcased the pool with a coping that rose perpendicular to the ground out of the stone patio surface. This reinforced our blend of contemporary look with classical right angles. We saved the client an enormous amount of money on travertine by setting the coping so that it does not overhang with the tile. Because the ground between the house and the outdoor room gradually dropped in grade, we used the natural slope of the ground to create another perpendicular right angle at the end of the pool. Here, we installed a waterfall which spilled over into a heated spa. Although the spa was fed from within itself, it was built to look as though water was coming from within the pool. The ultimate result of all of this is a new sense of visual “ebb and flow,” so to speak. When Mr. Pesek sits in his couch facing his house, the earth appears to rise up first into an illuminated pool which leads the way up the steps to his home. When he sits in his spa facing the other direction, the earth rises up like a doorway to his outdoor room, where he can comfortably relax in the water while he watches TV. For more the 20 years Exterior Worlds has specialized in servicing many of Houston's fine neighborhoods.

Ron Blunt Photography
Beach style bathroom photo in DC Metro

This retaining wall project in inspired by our Travertina Raw stone. The Travertina Raw collection has been extended to a double-sided, segmental retaining wall system. This product mimics the texture of natural travertine in a concrete material for wall blocks. Build outdoor raised planters, outdoor kitchens, seating benches and more with this wall block. This product line has enjoyed huge success and has now been improved with an ultra robust mix design, making it far more durable than the natural alternative. This is a perfect solution in freeze-thaw climates. Check out our website to shop the look! https://www.techo-bloc.com/shop/walls/travertina-raw/

This 1964 split-level looked like every other house on the block before adding a 1,000sf addition over the existing Living, Dining, Kitchen and Family rooms. New siding, trim and columns were added throughout, while the existing brick remained.

Tower House by David Coleman / Architecture located in the Wallingford neighborhood of Seattle, WA.
Inspiration for a modern bedroom remodel in Seattle with beige walls

Inspiration for a tropical bathroom remodel in Mexico City

Marc Boisclair
Inspiration for a french country galley eat-in kitchen remodel in Phoenix with concrete countertops, a farmhouse sink and medium tone wood cabinets

This house glows from warm interior lighting. Hidden from the interior, under deck lights give Dining Room guests a view of the river and landscape from the angular windows. Architecture by David Johnston Architects, Aspen, Colorado Interiors by Robyn Scott Interiors, Basalt, Colorado Key Words, Exterior Lighting, Deck Lighting, Under Deck Lighting, Lighting, Lighting Design, Lighting Designer, Lighting for Exterior, Exterior Landscape Lighting, River Lighting, Landscape Lighting, Exterior Accent Lighting, river house, mountain modern, mountain contemporary, timber house, river exterior, deck, river lighting

This pool room is part of a second phase addition to this already wonderful home. The original house had been carefully designed to take advantage of its rural setting including views of a water area, nature preserve, and woods. In order to maintain these views while providing a large indoor room for the pool, the project required a unique and difficult concept to be executed. We decided to place the pool room at the basement level where no views would be disturbed. In order to accomplish this, the pool itself was excavated below existing foundation walls requiring substantial shoring and engineering work. The roof of the pool room is a combination of cast-in-place concrete vaults and concrete plank, forming a patio surface and lawn area above. A unique skylight in this lawn area floods the below-grade room with wonderful day lighting. The end result actually enhances the views from the home by providing an elevated stone patio overlooking the ponds and nature preserve. The pool room also enjoys this view as well. We believe the final result of the project shows a very well integrated design which overcame substantial engineering challenges to form a highly functional and well designed solution.

Tatjana Plitt
Mid-sized mid-century modern white split-level concrete house exterior photo in Melbourne with a clipped gable roof and a metal roof

Example of an arts and crafts green three-story exterior home design in Baltimore with a hip roof and a metal roof

Eichler in Marinwood - At the larger scale of the property existed a desire to soften and deepen the engagement between the house and the street frontage. As such, the landscaping palette consists of textures chosen for subtlety and granularity. Spaces are layered by way of planting, diaphanous fencing and lighting. The interior engages the front of the house by the insertion of a floor to ceiling glazing at the dining room. Jog-in path from street to house maintains a sense of privacy and sequential unveiling of interior/private spaces. This non-atrium model is invested with the best aspects of the iconic eichler configuration without compromise to the sense of order and orientation. photo: scott hargis

Situated facing the beach and overlooking Broken Bay on the NSW Central Coast, this weekender is the second built in this secluded village by this family, and their second in concrete masonry. “The client liked the concrete block from his previous house so much that there wasn’t a question of not using it again,” says architect Alex Porebski. The saline environment was also a factor, as was masonry’s resistance to windborne abrasion which wreaks havoc with painted finishes. The alabaster-coloured smooth-face blocks are left exposed throughout, further reducing the owners’ maintenance requirements. The design is based around a central courtyard that can be screened when afternoon onshore winds arrive. It also acts as a suntrap, allowing the northerly sun to penetrate the house. “The courtyard was really one of the driving principles of the design,” says Porebski, who describes it as “a house that celebrates the act of living on the beach.”

Situated facing the beach and overlooking Broken Bay on the NSW Central Coast, this weekender is the second built in this secluded village by this family, and their second in concrete masonry. “The client liked the concrete block from his previous house so much that there wasn’t a question of not using it again,” says architect Alex Porebski. The saline environment was also a factor, as was masonry’s resistance to windborne abrasion which wreaks havoc with painted finishes. The alabaster-coloured smooth-face blocks are left exposed throughout, further reducing the owners’ maintenance requirements. The design is based around a central courtyard that can be screened when afternoon onshore winds arrive. It also acts as a suntrap, allowing the northerly sun to penetrate the house. “The courtyard was really one of the driving principles of the design,” says Porebski, who describes it as “a house that celebrates the act of living on the beach.”

Situated facing the beach and overlooking Broken Bay on the NSW Central Coast, this weekender is the second built in this secluded village by this family, and their second in concrete masonry. “The client liked the concrete block from his previous house so much that there wasn’t a question of not using it again,” says architect Alex Porebski. The saline environment was also a factor, as was masonry’s resistance to windborne abrasion which wreaks havoc with painted finishes. The alabaster-coloured smooth-face blocks are left exposed throughout, further reducing the owners’ maintenance requirements. The design is based around a central courtyard that can be screened when afternoon onshore winds arrive. It also acts as a suntrap, allowing the northerly sun to penetrate the house. “The courtyard was really one of the driving principles of the design,” says Porebski, who describes it as “a house that celebrates the act of living on the beach.”

This project was a long labor of love. The clients adored this eclectic farm home from the moment they first opened the front door. They knew immediately as well that they would be making many careful changes to honor the integrity of its old architecture. The original part of the home is a log cabin built in the 1700’s. Several additions had been added over time. The dark, inefficient kitchen that was in place would not serve their lifestyle of entertaining and love of cooking well at all. Their wish list included large pro style appliances, lots of visible storage for collections of plates, silverware, and cookware, and a magazine-worthy end result in terms of aesthetics. After over two years into the design process with a wonderful plan in hand, construction began. Contractors experienced in historic preservation were an important part of the project. Local artisans were chosen for their expertise in metal work for one-of-a-kind pieces designed for this kitchen – pot rack, base for the antique butcher block, freestanding shelves, and wall shelves. Floor tile was hand chipped for an aged effect. Old barn wood planks and beams were used to create the ceiling. Local furniture makers were selected for their abilities to hand plane and hand finish custom antique reproduction pieces that became the island and armoire pantry. An additional cabinetry company manufactured the transitional style perimeter cabinetry. Three different edge details grace the thick marble tops which had to be scribed carefully to the stone wall. Cable lighting and lamps made from old concrete pillars were incorporated. The restored stone wall serves as a magnificent backdrop for the eye- catching hood and 60” range. Extra dishwasher and refrigerator drawers, an extra-large fireclay apron sink along with many accessories enhance the functionality of this two cook kitchen. The fabulous style and fun-loving personalities of the clients shine through in this wonderful kitchen. If you don’t believe us, “swing” through sometime and see for yourself! Matt Villano Photography