Kitchen - kitchen idea in San Francisco

Example of a trendy exterior home design in Minneapolis

This client came to us looking for a space that would allow their children a place to hang out while still feeling at home. The versatility of finished concrete flooring works well to adapt to a variety of home styles, and works seamlessly with this Craftsman-style home. We worked with the client to decide that a darker reactive stain would really make the space feel warm, inviting, and comfortable. The look and feel of the floor with this stain selection would be similar to the pictures they provided of the look they were targeting when we started the selection process. The clients really embraced the existing cracks in the concrete, and thought they exhibited the character of the house – and we agree. When our team works on residential projects, it is imperative that we keep everything as clean and mess-free as possible for the client. For this reason, our first step was to apply RAM Board throughout the house where our equipment would be traveling. Tape and 24″ plastic were also applied to the walls of the basement to protect them. The original floor was rather new concrete with some cracks. Our team started by filling the cracks with a patching product. The grinding process then began, concrete reactive stain was applied in the color Wenge Wood, and then the floor was sealed with our two step concrete densification and stain-guard process. The 5 step polishing process was finished by bringing the floor to a 800-grit level. We were excited to see how the space came together after the rest of construction, which was overseen by the contractor Arbor Homes, was complete. View the gallery below to take a look!

Simple Construct
Transitional bedroom photo in San Diego

Bathroom.
Tuscan alcove bathtub photo in Santa Barbara with an undermount sink, dark wood cabinets and recessed-panel cabinets

Photos by Wes Eisenhower
Inspiration for a large contemporary backyard concrete paver and rectangular landscaping.

The client’s request was quite common - a typical 2800 sf builder home with 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, living space, and den. However, their desire was for this to be “anything but common.” The result is an innovative update on the production home for the modern era, and serves as a direct counterpoint to the neighborhood and its more conventional suburban housing stock, which focus views to the backyard and seeks to nullify the unique qualities and challenges of topography and the natural environment. The Terraced House cautiously steps down the site’s steep topography, resulting in a more nuanced approach to site development than cutting and filling that is so common in the builder homes of the area. The compact house opens up in very focused views that capture the natural wooded setting, while masking the sounds and views of the directly adjacent roadway. The main living spaces face this major roadway, effectively flipping the typical orientation of a suburban home, and the main entrance pulls visitors up to the second floor and halfway through the site, providing a sense of procession and privacy absent in the typical suburban home. Clad in a custom rain screen that reflects the wood of the surrounding landscape - while providing a glimpse into the interior tones that are used. The stepping “wood boxes” rest on a series of concrete walls that organize the site, retain the earth, and - in conjunction with the wood veneer panels - provide a subtle organic texture to the composition. The interior spaces wrap around an interior knuckle that houses public zones and vertical circulation - allowing more private spaces to exist at the edges of the building. The windows get larger and more frequent as they ascend the building, culminating in the upstairs bedrooms that occupy the site like a tree house - giving views in all directions. The Terraced House imports urban qualities to the suburban neighborhood and seeks to elevate the typical approach to production home construction, while being more in tune with modern family living patterns. Overview: Elm Grove Size: 2,800 sf, 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms Completion Date: September 2014 Services: Architecture, Landscape Architecture Interior Consultants: Amy Carman Design