Inspiration for a small contemporary 3/4 alcove shower remodel in Baltimore with flat-panel cabinets, medium tone wood cabinets, a one-piece toilet, beige walls, an undermount sink and solid surface countertops

The homeowners built their barn to be more than a simple outbuilding. In addition to storing vehicles and equipment, it's decked out with space for having fun and entertaining. The landscape continues the party, providing additional gathering space while maintaining access for trailers and other large vehicles.

this master suite renovation represents the completion of a whole house remodel initiated several years ago. the space had been intended as a master suite but left incomplete for budgetary reasons. the pending arrival of the family’s second child prompted the move to complete. Schwartz and Architecture’s master plan had organized a strong spatial arrangement, packed with program. building Lab, along with the client, developed all of the materials and detailing. we also, of course, built it. bL picked up on prominent themes from the earlier project, developed and re-worked them with materials specific to the context. from a geometric standpoint, cleanness, simplicity and continuity drove decisions. headers were eliminated from doors allowing continuous ceiling planes interrupted only by slots for sliding doors. flush detailing of tile and sheetrock and sliding glass doors that converge to form an inside corner are but a couple examples of many challenging details dedicated to precise alignments and reveals. from a material standpoint the wood provides tactile softness, frosted glass and lighting maximize depth, while tile and Caesarstone maintain solidity and groundedness. details such as the Caesarstone wrap of the vanity and medicine cabinets offer surprise and engagement through unlikely material application. projects of such density and richness in materials and detail are somewhat rare. we are grateful to our clients for the opportunity and challenge. see rutledge st. residence for photos of entire house. master plan: schwartz & architecture photo by scott hargis

The homeowners built their barn to be more than a simple outbuilding. In addition to storing vehicles and equipment, it's decked out with space for having fun and entertaining. The landscape continues the party, providing additional gathering space while maintaining access for trailers and other large vehicles.

Open living room with neutral beige background, custom sofa and chairs, coffee table by Susan Hersker, custom entry door and windows by Slater Sculpture, reflecting pond entry, Photo: Mark Boisclair Contractor: Manship Builder Architect: Bing Hu Interior Design: Susan Hersker and Elaine Ryckman Project designed by Susie Hersker’s Scottsdale interior design firm Design Directives. Design Directives is active in Phoenix, Paradise Valley, Cave Creek, Carefree, Sedona, and beyond. For more about Design Directives, click here: https://susanherskerasid.com/ To learn more about this project, click here: https://susanherskerasid.com/desert-contemporary/

Study room - small 1950s built-in desk study room idea in Seattle with no fireplace

The homeowners built their barn to be more than a simple outbuilding. In addition to storing vehicles and equipment, it's decked out with space for having fun and entertaining. The landscape continues the party, providing additional gathering space while maintaining access for trailers and other large vehicles.

This artwork for the wine cellar was done on big pieces of stone tile to maintain visual continuity. Each piece is a custom hand painted artwork, so feel free to bring your creativity.

Since the completion of the home our company has maintained this property. Originally built by a local builder as a speculation home, it was purchased by two busy professionals. Why is this important? Let's just say the clients are particular and like it when things aren't just so. Both have high level careers, travel often and expect their landscape to be pristine. Year after year our company rises to this challenge. When originally installed, the builder wanted larger plant material to provide a full and mature look. The continued growth provides a pruning challenge, especially when the client prefers a clean, neat and "compact" landscape. We continually monitor growth and hand prune accordingly, including yearly winter pruning. The backyard is particularly difficult due to the shade, moisture run-off from neighboring properties. The turf requires constant monitoring and adjustment to the irrigation system. The trees create a mess requiring clean up along with yearly power washing of the stone. While the challenges are many, the fine maintenance has led to happy clients and numerous referrals.

Shibusa Tortora Porcelain tiles offer practical versatility to match any room style, adding elegance and vibrant hues for an exceptional room transformation. Use them as an accent or to define the look of your indoor or outdoor space. Easy to install and simple to clean and maintain

This modern green home offers both a vacation destination on Cape Cod near local family members and an opportunity for rental income. FAMILY ROOTS. A West Coast couple living in the San Francisco Bay Area sought a permanent East Coast vacation home near family members living on Cape Cod. As academic professionals focused on sustainability, they sought a green, energy efficient home that was well-aligned with their values. With no green homes available for sale on Cape Cod, they decided to purchase land near their family and build their own. SLOPED SITE. Comprised of a 3/4 acre lot nestled in the pines, the steeply sloping terrain called for a plan that embraced and took advantage of the slope. Of equal priority was optimizing solar exposure, preserving privacy from abutters, and creating outdoor living space. The design accomplished these goals with a simple, rectilinear form, offering living space on the both entry and lower/basement levels. The stepped foundation allows for a walk-out basement level with light-filled living space on the down-hill side of the home. The traditional basement on the eastern, up-hill side houses mechanical equipment and a home gym. The house welcomes natural light throughout, captures views of the forest, and delivers entertainment space that connects indoor living space to outdoor deck and dining patio. MODERN VISION. The clean building form and uncomplicated finishes pay homage to the modern architectural legacy on the outer Cape. Durable and economical fiber cement panels, fixed with aluminum channels, clad the primary form. Cedar clapboards provide a visual accent at the south-facing living room, which extends a single roof plane to cover the entry porch. SMART USE OF SPACE. On the entry level, the “L”-shaped living, dining, and kitchen space connects to the exterior living, dining, and grilling spaces to effectively double the home’s summertime entertainment area. Placed at the western end of the entry level (where it can retain privacy but still claim expansive downhill views) is the master suite with a built-in study. The lower level has two guest bedrooms, a second full bathroom, and laundry. The flexibility of the space—crucial in a house with a modest footprint—emerges in one of the guest bedrooms, which doubles as home office by opening the barn-style double doors to connect it to the bright, airy open stair leading up to the entry level. Thoughtful design, generous ceiling heights and large windows transform the modest 1,100 sf* footprint into a well-lit, spacious home. *(total finished space is 1800 sf) RENTAL INCOME. The property works for its owners by netting rental income when the owners are home in San Francisco. The house especially caters to vacationers bound for nearby Mayo Beach and includes an outdoor shower adjacent to the lower level entry door. In contrast to the bare bones cottages that are typically available on the Cape, this home offers prospective tenants a modern aesthetic, paired with luxurious and green features. Durable finishes inside and out will ensure longevity with the heavier use that comes with a rental property. COMFORT YEAR-ROUND. The home is super-insulated and air-tight, with mechanical ventilation to provide continuous fresh air from the outside. High performance triple-paned windows complement the building enclosure and maximize passive solar gain while ensuring a warm, draft-free winter, even when sitting close to the glass. A properly sized air source heat pump offers efficient heating & cooling, and includes a carefully designed the duct distribution system to provide even comfort throughout the house. The super-insulated envelope allows us to significantly reduce the equipment capacity, duct size, and airflow quantities, while maintaining unparalleled thermal comfort. ENERGY EFFICIENT. The building’s shell and mechanical systems play instrumental roles in the home’s exceptional performance. The building enclosure reduces the most significant energy glutton: heating. Continuous super-insulation, thorough air sealing, triple-pane windows, and passive solar gain work together to yield a miniscule heating load. All active energy consumers are extremely efficient: an air source heat pump for heating and cooling, a heat pump hot water heater, LED lighting, energy recovery ventilation (ERV), and high efficiency appliances. The result is a home that uses 70% less energy than a similar new home built to code requirements. OVERALL. The home embodies the owners’ goals and values while comprehensively enabling thermal comfort, energy efficiency, a vacation respite, and supplementary income. PROJECT TEAM ZeroEnergy Design - Architect & Mechanical Designer A.F. Hultin & Co. - Contractor Pamet Valley Landscape Design - Landscape & Masonry Lisa Finch - Original Artwork European Architectural Supply - Windows Eric Roth Photography - Photography

Master Bedroom; Warm greys with accents of orange continue the color theme of the home. A custom made headboard along with a platform bed maintains the midcentury modern feel. Custom window coverings and pillows give the room a one-of-a-kind look. Photography by Doug

ZeroEnergy Design (ZED) created this modern home for a progressive family in the desirable community of Lexington. Thoughtful Land Connection. The residence is carefully sited on the infill lot so as to create privacy from the road and neighbors, while cultivating a side yard that captures the southern sun. The terraced grade rises to meet the house, allowing for it to maintain a structured connection with the ground while also sitting above the high water table. The elevated outdoor living space maintains a strong connection with the indoor living space, while the stepped edge ties it back to the true ground plane. Siting and outdoor connections were completed by ZED in collaboration with landscape designer Soren Deniord Design Studio. Exterior Finishes and Solar. The exterior finish materials include a palette of shiplapped wood siding, through-colored fiber cement panels and stucco. A rooftop parapet hides the solar panels above, while a gutter and site drainage system directs rainwater into an irrigation cistern and dry wells that recharge the groundwater. Cooking, Dining, Living. Inside, the kitchen, fabricated by Henrybuilt, is located between the indoor and outdoor dining areas. The expansive south-facing sliding door opens to seamlessly connect the spaces, using a retractable awning to provide shade during the summer while still admitting the warming winter sun. The indoor living space continues from the dining areas across to the sunken living area, with a view that returns again to the outside through the corner wall of glass. Accessible Guest Suite. The design of the first level guest suite provides for both aging in place and guests who regularly visit for extended stays. The patio off the north side of the house affords guests their own private outdoor space, and privacy from the neighbor. Similarly, the second level master suite opens to an outdoor private roof deck. Light and Access. The wide open interior stair with a glass panel rail leads from the top level down to the well insulated basement. The design of the basement, used as an away/play space, addresses the need for both natural light and easy access. In addition to the open stairwell, light is admitted to the north side of the area with a high performance, Passive House (PHI) certified skylight, covering a six by sixteen foot area. On the south side, a unique roof hatch set flush with the deck opens to reveal a glass door at the base of the stairwell which provides additional light and access from the deck above down to the play space. Energy. Energy consumption is reduced by the high performance building envelope, high efficiency mechanical systems, and then offset with renewable energy. All windows and doors are made of high performance triple paned glass with thermally broken aluminum frames. The exterior wall assembly employs dense pack cellulose in the stud cavity, a continuous air barrier, and four inches exterior rigid foam insulation. The 10kW rooftop solar electric system provides clean energy production. The final air leakage testing yielded 0.6 ACH 50 - an extremely air tight house, a testament to the well-designed details, progress testing and quality construction. When compared to a new house built to code requirements, this home consumes only 19% of the energy. Architecture & Energy Consulting: ZeroEnergy Design Landscape Design: Soren Deniord Design Paintings: Bernd Haussmann Studio Photos: Eric Roth Photography

Jeff Dow Photography The layout of the original bathroom was maintained, but all fixtures and finishes were replaced to create this light, bright and contemporary bathroom. Wood grain tile covers the floor and glass mosaics cover the walls from floor to ceiling.

This modern bathroom features a seamless microcement floor, offering a refined, contemporary look with zero grout lines. The hand-applied finish creates a smooth, durable surface that’s water-resistant and easy to maintain—perfect for high-moisture spaces like bathrooms. Its natural tonal variation adds warmth and texture while maintaining a minimalist, spa-like aesthetic.

The homeowners built their barn to be more than a simple outbuilding. In addition to storing vehicles and equipment, it's decked out with space for having fun and entertaining. The landscape continues the party, providing additional gathering space while maintaining access for trailers and other large vehicles.

Toni Deis Photography
Alcove shower - kids' white tile and porcelain tile marble floor, wallpaper and white floor alcove shower idea in New York with a hinged shower door

Pinch pleated panels hung on decorative rods flanking palladian window with roman shades covering the windows lower windows maintains continuity with other windows in the room while keeping the palladian window the focal point.

Soft luxurious materials used in this master bedroom give the elegance of a spa, while maintaining a feeling of warmth and comfort. Organic shaped sculptured lamps and unique art are used for continuity of design aesthetic. Photography by Robert Brantley.