David Butler
Front door - country front door idea in London with a light wood front door

landscaping, arbors trellis, pergolas, 1/4 minus gravel walkway, stone walkway
Inspiration for a traditional hillside landscaping in Portland.

Small trendy 3/4 white tile and porcelain tile concrete floor and gray floor alcove shower photo in New York with flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, a one-piece toilet, white walls, a console sink and a hinged shower door

The Kiguchi family moved into their Austin, Texas home in 1994. Built in the 1980’s as part of a neighborhood development, they happily raised their family here but longed for something more contemporary. Once they became empty nesters, they decided it was time for a major remodel. After spending many years visiting Austin AIA Home Tours that highlight contemporary residential architecture, they had a lot of ideas and in 2013 were ready to interview architects and get their renovation underway. The project turned into a major remodel due to an unstable foundation. Architects Ben Arbib and Ed Hughey, of Arbib Hughey Design were hired to solve the structural issue and look for inspiration in the bones of the house, which sat on top of a hillside and was surrounded by great views. Unfortunately, with the old floor plan, the beautiful views were hidden by small windows that were poorly placed. In order to bring more natural light into the house the window sizes and configurations had to be addressed, all while keeping in mind the homeowners desire for a modern look and feel. To achieve a more contemporary and sophisticated front of house, a new entry was designed that included removing a two-story bay window and porch. The entrance of the home also became more integrated with the landscape creating a template for new foliage to be planted. Older exterior materials were updated to incorporate a more muted palette of colors with a metal roof, dark grey siding in the back and white stucco in the front. Deep eaves were added over many of the new large windows for clean lines and sun protection. “Inside it was about opening up the floor plan, expanding the views throughout the house, and updating the material palette to get a modern look that was also warm and inviting,” said Ben from Arbib Hughey Design. “Prior to the remodel, the house had the typical separation of rooms. We removed the walls between them and changed all of the windows to Milgard Thermally Improved Aluminum to connect the inside with the outside. No matter where you are you get nice views and natural light.” The architects wanted to create some drama, which they accomplished with the window placement and opening up the interior floor plan to an open concept approach. Cabinetry was used to help delineate intimate spaces. To add warmth to an all-white living room, white-washed oak wood floors were installed and pine planks were used around the fireplace. The large windows served as artwork bringing the color of nature into the space. An octagon shaped, elevated dining room, (named “the turret”), had a big impact on the design of the house. They architects rounded the corners and added larger window openings overlooking a new sunken garden. The great room was also softened by rounding out the corners and that circular theme continued throughout the house, being picked up in skylight wells and kitchen cabinetry. A staircase leading to a catwalk was added and the result was a two-story window wall that flooded the home with natural light. When asked why Milgard® Thermally Improved Aluminum windows were selected, the architectural team listed many reasons: 1) Aesthetics: “We liked the slim profiles and narrow sightlines. The window frames never get in the way of the view and that was important to us. They also have a very contemporary look that went well with our design.” 2) Options: “We liked that we could get large sliding doors that matched the windows, giving us a very cohesive look and feel throughout the project.” 3) Cost Effective: “Milgard windows are affordable. You get a good product at a good price.” 4) Custom Sizes: “Milgard windows are customizable, which allowed us to get the right window for each location.” Ready to take on your own traditional to modern home remodeling project? Arbib Hughey Design advises, “Work with a good architect. That means picking a team that is creative, communicative, listens well and is responsive. We think it’s important for an architect to listen to their clients and give them something they want, not something the architect thinks they should have. At the same time you want an architect who is willing and able to think outside the box and offer up design options that you may not have considered. Design is about a lot of back and forth, trying out ideas, getting feedback and trying again.” The home was completely transformed into a unique, contemporary house perfectly integrated with its site. Internally the home has a natural flow for the occupants and externally it is integrated with the surroundings taking advantage of great natural light. As a side note, it was highly praised as part of the Austin AIA homes tour.

Shower curtain - small country master white tile and porcelain tile porcelain tile, white floor and single-sink shower curtain idea in Orlando with gray cabinets, a one-piece toilet, gray walls, quartzite countertops, white countertops and a freestanding vanity

Micah Dimitriadis
Kitchen - traditional dark wood floor kitchen idea in Orange County with raised-panel cabinets, white cabinets, white backsplash, subway tile backsplash and stainless steel appliances

Large trendy medium tone wood floor living room photo in Miami with white walls and a glass front door

Benny Chan
Mid-sized trendy master medium tone wood floor bedroom photo in Los Angeles with white walls and no fireplace

Brett Mountain
Inspiration for a mid-sized industrial enclosed and formal living room remodel in Detroit with a wall-mounted tv and white walls

Greg Riegler
Example of a beach style open concept light wood floor living room design in Miami with white walls

This prefabricated 1,800 square foot Certified Passive House is designed and built by The Artisans Group, located in the rugged central highlands of Shaw Island, in the San Juan Islands. It is the first Certified Passive House in the San Juans, and the fourth in Washington State. The home was built for $330 per square foot, while construction costs for residential projects in the San Juan market often exceed $600 per square foot. Passive House measures did not increase this projects’ cost of construction. The clients are retired teachers, and desired a low-maintenance, cost-effective, energy-efficient house in which they could age in place; a restful shelter from clutter, stress and over-stimulation. The circular floor plan centers on the prefabricated pod. Radiating from the pod, cabinetry and a minimum of walls defines functions, with a series of sliding and concealable doors providing flexible privacy to the peripheral spaces. The interior palette consists of wind fallen light maple floors, locally made FSC certified cabinets, stainless steel hardware and neutral tiles in black, gray and white. The exterior materials are painted concrete fiberboard lap siding, Ipe wood slats and galvanized metal. The home sits in stunning contrast to its natural environment with no formal landscaping. Photo Credit: Art Gray

Example of a transitional white tile pebble tile floor freestanding bathtub design in Indianapolis with recessed-panel cabinets, gray cabinets and blue walls

Photo Credit: Andrew Beasley
Staircase - contemporary staircase idea in London

Jonathan Wallen Photography
Elegant brick floor single front door photo in New York with white walls and a white front door

Momu build fantastic value, high standard specification family homes throughout the Perth Metro area. Home designs from 7.5m to 17m and priced from $160,000. Visit the Momuwa.com.au website and try out the 'Canvas' online design tool to make changes to a home design and see costs in real-time. See location and opening hours for our display homes here http://momuwa.com.au/Display-Homes

phillip harris
Kids' room - rustic kids' room idea in San Francisco with no fireplace

Stunning grey on grey kitchen renovation.
Example of a small minimalist l-shaped marble floor and white floor open concept kitchen design in Miami with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, gray cabinets, marble countertops, stainless steel appliances, a peninsula and white countertops

Ross Anania
Mid-sized trendy 3/4 white tile and subway tile porcelain tile tub/shower combo photo in Seattle with a vessel sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, solid surface countertops, a two-piece toilet and white walls

Stephani Buchman
Transitional dark wood floor family room photo in Toronto with gray walls, a ribbon fireplace and a tile fireplace