A moody sitting room at The Sanctuary features dark walls, expansive black-framed windows, and warm wood ceilings, creating an intimate retreat with a strong connection to the surrounding outdoor spaces.

Inspired by its location at the heart of vibrant Palo Alto, this home is designed with clean lines, an open floor plan with plenty of natural light, and a strong connection between indoor and outdoor living spaces. This atmosphere was achieved by creating minimal separation between the public spaces and by using large openings with floor to ceiling windows and doors. Careful attention to details and aesthetics, highest quality materials and superior craftsmanship are the guiding principles of this custom elegant home.

SDH Studio - Architecture and Design Location: Golden Beach, Florida, USA Conceptualized as minimalist assembly of structures on the edge of the canal in Golden Beach, the design emphasizes the views of the water while creating a strong connection between the interior and the exterior of the home.

Concrete has the ability to blend with all kinds of styles. The home has a rustic/contemporary feel and Dancer Concrete Design was able to complete the look with polished natural gray concrete. Many times, clients request a highly reflective, high-shine floor. In this case, we wanted a floor that looked natural and soft so it was finished to a 200-Grit level that is still very strong, but did not have a modern shiny look. While color was not added to the concrete itself, the control joints were filled with a warm stone filler. This polished floor flows throughout the kitchen and into the pantry and dinning area. It compliments the home and creates a unified look.

Shigeru Ban: Curtain Wall House, 1995, Tokyo, Japan Photo by Hiroyuki Hirai

Design Consultant Jeff Doubét is the author of Creating Spanish Style Homes: Before & After – Techniques – Designs – Insights. The 240 page “Design Consultation in a Book” is now available. Please visit SantaBarbaraHomeDesigner.com for more info. Jeff Doubét specializes in Santa Barbara style home and landscape designs. To learn more info about the variety of custom design services I offer, please visit SantaBarbaraHomeDesigner.com Jeff Doubét is the Founder of Santa Barbara Home Design - a design studio based in Santa Barbara, California USA.

Hamptons-Inspired Kitchen One cannot help but feel a distinct sense of serenity and timeless beauty when entering this Hamptons-style kitchen. Bathed in natural light and shimmering with inspired accents and details, this complete kitchen transformation is at once elegant and inviting. Plans and elevations were conceived to create balance and function without sacrificing harmony and visual intrigue. A metal custom hood, with an eye-catching brass band and impeccably balanced cabinets on either side, provides a strong focal point for the kitchen, which can be viewed from the adjacent living room. Brass faucets, hardware and light fixtures complement and draw further attention to this anchoring element. A wall of glass cabinetry enhances the existing windows and pleasantly expands the sense of openness in the space. Taj Mahal quartzite blends gracefully with the cabinet finishes. Cream-tone, herringbone tiles are custom-cut into different patterns to create a sense of visual movement as the eyes move across the room. An elegant, marble-top island paired with sumptuous, leather-covered stools, not only offers extra counterspace, but also an ideal gathering place for loved ones to enjoy. This unforgettable kitchen gem shines even brighter with the addition of glass cabinets, designed to display the client’s collection of Portmeirion china. Careful consideration was given to the selection of stone for the countertops, as well as the color of paint for the cabinets, to highlight this inspiring collection. Breakfast room A thoughtfully blended mix of furniture styles introduces a splash of European charm to this Hamptons-style kitchen, with French, cane-back chairs providing a sense of airy elegance and delight. A performance velvet adorns the banquette, which is piled high with lush cushions for optimal comfort while lounging in the room. Another layer of texture is achieved with a wool area rug that defines and accentuates this gorgeous breakfast nook with sprawling views of the outdoors. Finishing features include drapery fabric and Brunschwig and Fils Bird and Thistle paper, whose natural, botanic pattern combines with the beautiful vistas of the backyard to inspire a sense of being in a botanical, outdoor wonderland.

The small living space is bright and versatile - with a Bludot 'Diplomat' sleeper sofa for extra guests and a large modern tapestry on custom hanging bars to create a strong focal point.

This kitchen as dated and ugly. I tend to not use strong words for any space, but there is no other way to describe the befores of this space. I cleaned it all up to start with while seeing some of the bones I wanted to use. I added a massive new island, making room for a wine fridge and a microwave. I created a new ceiling plan with recessed lighting and while it was tempting to do island pendants, my vision was to keep the view unobstructed.

Our collection of modern doors are made in Europe and deliver superior performance due to the latest European technology and highest level of designs and quality for interior doors. The Modern Collection interior doors are ideal for homes with Contemporary architecture and Modern architecture. For those who envision the perfect, contemporary home, Glenview Haus offers a vast collection of Modern Interior Doors. Our modern interior wood doors feature strong, horizontal lines and geometrical designs that work together to create an unmistakable and artistic effect. This collection flaunts trendsetting looks and styles that are sure to create the perfect modern or contemporary atmosphere in your home. Our interior doors are designed so that the doors inside of your home are as beautiful as the front entry door.

This beautiful and inviting retreat compliments the adjacent rooms creating a total home environment for entertaining, relaxing and recharging. Soft off white painted cabinets are topped with Taj Mahal quartzite counter tops and finished with matte off white subway tiles. A custom marble insert was placed under the hood for a pop of color for the cook. Strong geometric patterns of the doors and drawers create a soothing and rhythmic pattern for the eye. Balance and harmony are achieved with symmetric design details and patterns. Soft brass accented pendants light up the peninsula and seating area. The open shelf section provides a colorful display of the client's beautiful collection of decorative glass and ceramics.

Modern and contemporary designs create drastic look with very little. This entrance unit by Liberty showcases modern design with strong, minimal lines, making a large impact.

Tim & Elissa have a beautiful home in the most desirable Wyomissing neighborhood. Broad sidewalks under stately oaks, with nearby parks makes it a perfect place to raise a growing family. But their 2-bedroom mid-century rancher was becoming a squeeze. They asked Spring Creek Design to come up with a cost-effective solution to their space problem, while also tackling some of the home’s aged infrastructure. Design Criteria: - Increase living space by adding a new 2nd storey Master Suite. - Enhance livability with an open floorplan on the first floor. - Improve the connection to the outdoors. - Update basics systems with new windows, HVAC and insulation. - Update interior with paint & refinished floors. Special Features: - Bright, mid-century modern design is true to the home’s vintage. - Custom steel cable railings at both stairways. - New open plan creates strong connections between kitchen, living room, dining room and deck. - High-performance Pella windows throughout, including a new triple-panel slider to the deck.

The grey trend has evolved in the last twelve months. Nowadays browns, beige and a touch of grey are in demand. Greige is the new buzzword. Heavier hand scraped or contoured products, the rage that started around 2005 has taken a back seat in most areas, while a softer wire brushed "ceruse effect" seen mostly on White Oak has been remarkably strong showing no effects of becoming “dated” like the others mentioned. Ceruse Color Possibilities There are numerous color combinations to the "cerused" process with the most popular being white or off white. This design trend in hardwood flooring can have darker gray white oak with a mild ceruse off white effect. There are limitless possibilities in either a prefinished hardwood floor or with what we can create for you in a custom on-site finished hardwood floor. If something suits your fancy, contact us and we can work on creating just the look and sense of style you are looking for.

Photography by Kim Jeffery
Inspiration for a contemporary entryway remodel in Toronto

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

Mid-sized transitional white one-story wood and clapboard gable roof photo in San Francisco with a mixed material roof and a gray roof

This beautiful and inviting retreat compliments the adjacent rooms creating a total home environment for entertaining, relaxing and recharging. Soft off white painted cabinets are topped with Taj Mahal quartzite counter tops and finished with matte off white subway tiles. A custom marble insert was placed under the hood for a pop of color for the cook. Strong geometric patterns of the doors and drawers create a soothing and rhythmic pattern for the eye. Balance and harmony are achieved with symmetric design details and patterns. Soft brass accented pendants light up the peninsula and seating area. The open shelf section provides a colorful display of the client's beautiful collection of decorative glass and ceramics.

The exterior of the home was updated with the application of integrally color plaster, and Chicago common brick caps, stained wood french doors and casement windows. The breakfast nook replaced an ungainly exterior porch, and window and doors sizes were revised to reflect more traditional proportions. The changes taken together create a home which more strongly reflects the best of Tucson's significant architectural design heritage. Design Principal: Gene Kniaz, Spiral Architects; General Contractor: Brian Recher, Resolute Builders