Mid-sized and small boulders contribute to a natural informal theme in this front yard (former lawn). Photo: Patricia Larenas
Design ideas for a mid-sized traditional drought-tolerant and full sun front yard stone water fountain landscape in San Francisco.

Mud room and kids entrance 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

Our contribution to this wonderful project includes the kitchen, bathroom vanities, casing, and custom furniture including the wood slab dining table.

We selected gold and silver accessories to generate a sense of elegance and sophistication. We added stylish and soft silk window treatment that block light and noise and therefore contribute to a good night’s sleep.

Dawn Cromer photographer and homeowner. This modern farmhouse was custom built by Peak Builders, LLC, in central Virginia and completed 2015. Two separate architects contributed to the project, Andres F. Martinez founder of ARKE design-build, LLC, and Heath Wills founder of Heath Wills Home Designs, llc. Each worked closely with the homeowners, marrying their aim to fashion the home inside and out to have a farmhouse heart yet craftsman flare. The main house exterior features a mixture of board-and-batten and lap hardie siding painted Benjamin Moore White Dove (OC-17), while the garage is solely board-and-batten painted Benjamin Moore Caliente (AF-290).

Photo by: Mark Ballard Unique vintage items like this birdcage contribute to the nature-inspired design of this cottage and help fill the space on the mantle

Marble varies in color and veining from stone to stone. The naturally occurring variations contribute to its distinctive appeal. Polishing achieves a glossy finish that enhances the colors of this timeless classic.

The interior details are simple, elegant, and are understated to display fine craftsmanship throughout the home. The design and finishes are not pretentious - but exactly what you would expect to find in an accomplished Maine artist’s home. Each piece of artwork carefully informed the selections that would highlight the art and contribute to the personality of each space. © Darren Setlow Photography

Raindrops bead up on an Echeveria after a storm. This succulent is an easy care summer bloomer and contributes nicely to a groundcover planting combination. Shown here with dense growing Dymondia. Edger Landscape Design

This single family home sits on a tight, sloped site. Within a modest budget, the goal was to provide direct access to grade at both the front and back of the house. The solution is a multi-split-level home with unconventional relationships between floor levels. Between the entrance level and the lower level of the family room, the kitchen and dining room are located on an interstitial level. Within the stair space “floats” a small bathroom. The generous stair is celebrated with a back-painted red glass wall which treats users to changing refractive ambient light throughout the house. Black brick, grey-tinted glass and mirrors contribute to the reasonably compact massing of the home. A cantilevered upper volume shades south facing windows and the home’s limited material palette meant a more efficient construction process. Cautious landscaping retains water run-off on the sloping site and home offices reduce the client’s use of their vehicle. The house achieves its vision within a modest footprint and with a design restraint that will ensure it becomes a long-lasting asset in the community. Photo by Tom Arban

2020 Parade of Homes project FLOOR360 contributed the flooring and backsplash materials and installation. Builder: Hart DeNoble Builders, Interior Design: DesignWell Interiors

FLOOR360 contributed the materials and installation for the backsplash in this second kitchen for 2020 Parade of Homes residence. Builder: Hart DeNoble Builders, Interior Design: DesignWell Interiors

The kitchen which had somewhat low ceilings was intentionally designed with few upper cabinets. We purposely left open space in between some of the cabinets and the ceiling to convey a feel of height. Leaving some exposed wall space also contributed to creating an airy open space.

The pictures, plants and wall clock contribute to the French country feel that oozes from the room.
Example of a mid-sized transitional enclosed medium tone wood floor and brown floor family room design in St Louis with gray walls, a standard fireplace, a wood fireplace surround and a wall-mounted tv

CLB’s interiors team was tasked with making Dogtrot residence's modernist space warm, inviting and livable. The owner contributed a strong eye and an ever-evolving sourcebook to the project. Residential architecture and interior design by CLB in Jackson, Wyoming.

Attanasio Landscape Architecture, A Nevada Professional Corporation, (ALA) has a single goal on all projects: To collaborate with quality clients and other consultants contributing talent, skills and discipline directed into a cohesive project vision. ALA take's great pride in providing our clients with projects which create a sense of place, engage and enrich the experiences of the people who use them, and are responsive to the environment.

FLOOR360 contributed the flooring materials and installation for this master bathroom tile flooring, shower and backsplash in a 2020 Parade of Homes residence. Builder: Quality First Custom Homes

This alcove shower in this master bathroom remodel uses a clear frameless glass door to make the space much more open and expansive. The horizontal subway tiles and the plumbing fixtures contribute to the traditional style of this space, and the decorative recessed shower shelf adds a touch of elegance in this bathroom.

We were able to enlarge the old shower stall footprint and build this spa-worthy walk-in. Marble tile on the walls and shower bench contribute to a rich look. Small tile on the floor is the perfect contrast to the oversized tiles on the walls.