The clients were inspired to renovate following exposure to Zen architecture while honeymooning in Japan. The architectural brief was to deliver a modern Australian home that serves as a private, meditative retreat that would also cater to a buzzing family as their relationship evolves; and transform into a welcoming and generous entertaining space. The home would need to maximise the potential of the sites orientation and create a strong connection to generous and versatile outdoor spaces including sheltered entertaining areas and spacious areas for planting and lawn. It was essential that elements of the existing residence be retained where possible to reduce waste, however disguised so that the final product was effectively a new home.

The renovated bedroom introduces abundant natural light through expansive glazing while maintaining a strong connection to the garden. Custom detailing and warm materials create a calm, contemporary retreat.

The living room was transformed into a dramatic two story space anchored by expansive glazing and abundant natural light. Once enclosed and compartmentalized, the room now opens vertically to a loft that overlooks the main living area, creating a strong visual connection between levels. The double height ceiling enhances the sense of volume while framing views and reinforcing the open floor plan at the heart of the home.

Re-arranging the furniture layout was a huge step in opening up the space. Changing out the bedding and adding fresh flowers helped to create a zen-like retreat.

Photo credit: Tracie McIntyre This garden follows the architecture of the house which was completely redesigned to reflect the owner's love of Mission style architecture. Palms of various sizes are massed to provide the structure which they lack on their own. Sizeable ferns throughout the garden provide and underlying texture and dynamism. Annuals in hot colours, bananas and coleus provide seasonal thrill. The highly textured foliage of Albizzias add an exotic note and will, over time, increase the play of light and shadow in the garden. The biggest challenge was creating a relationship between the house, which sits high on the lot, and the garden. A strong sense of indoor outdoor connection was achieved from both the basement and main level of the house by creating landings and enclosed courtyards ensconced by generously filled planters that lead up to the main garden.

Rodwin Architecture and Skycastle Homes Location: Boulder, Colorado, United States The design of this 4500sf, home….the steeply-sloping site; we thought of it as a tree house for grownups. Nestled into the hillside and surrounding by Aspens as well as Lodgepole and Ponderosa Pines, this HERS 38 home combines energy efficiency with a strong mountain palette of stone, stucco, and timber to blend with its surroundings. A strong stone base breaks up the massing of the three-story façade, with an expansive deck establishing a piano noble (elevated main floor) to take full advantage of the property’s amazing views and the owners’ desire for indoor/outdoor living. High ceilings and large windows create a light, spacious entry, which terminates into a custom hickory stair that winds its way to the center of the home. The open floor plan and French doors connect the great room to a gourmet kitchen, dining room, and flagstone patio terraced into the landscaped hillside. Landing dramatically in the great room, a stone fireplace anchors the space, while a wall of glass opens to the soaring covered deck, whose structure was designed to minimize any obstructions to the view.

Design & Supply - Astro Design Centre, Ottawa Canada Photo credit: Doublespace Photography. Knowing we wanted to maximize the amount of light and keep the Scandinavian feel, lots of white and blonde woods were used. 6” wide wire-brushed white oak flooring was installed. Farrow & Ball No.2001 Strong White was used on all walls, ceiling and trim. The existing brick fireplace was painted in No.2001 as well to create subtle texture. All interior & exterior doors were then painted out in Farrow & Ball No.31 Railings for a deep inky blue black contrast. The kitchen cabinetry is a combination of natural quarter sawn white oak and matte lacquer maple all done in Astro’s House Brand cabinetry. Simple matte black square knobs complete with back-plate create a crisp graphic quality to warm bright kitchen. The counters are a combination of Caesarstone 1141 Pure White quartz created the low maintenance hardworking surface needed for a young family. Along the stove wall a subtle backsplash was installed. The marble mosaic from Montreal’s very own MUD Tile (sold exclusively via Astro), was used to create depth, elongated hexagon Rock Salt mosaic nods toward the Scandinavian arts and crafts movement. A simple drywall hood fan was used against the mosaic. The fan was painted out in Farrow & Ball’s No.269 Cabbage White to pull the pastel green out of the mosaic.

With a primary focus on harnessing the stunning view out towards the Hudson river, our client wanted to use tones and stains that would be highlighted through natural light. As a result, the pairing of light tones of white and blue helped create this sense of continuity that we were searching for. As well as the incorporation of two central islands, the choice in materiality helped create a strong sense of contrast.

Installing a long vertical window created an opportunity for additional natural light and a strong visual connection to the outdoor courtyard from the home office space.

This bar is complete with ample storage, two bar fridges, a wall-mounted TV and a beautiful long counter-top fabricated in Vicostone’s Nero Marquina stone to create a strong statement against the light, bright white walls of the space. What a great set-up for watching the game and enjoying snacks and beverages with family & friends.

photo and landscape: Dave Demers - CYAN Horticulture architecture: Darrell Epp In close collaboration with Darrell Epp, Architect, CYAN Horticulture was invited to maximize use of the very limited space surrounding this newly renovated single-family residence. Perched atop a 75-feet forested ravine and overlooking a protected salmon stream, this low-lying house seems to be floating in the wilderness. On the more exposed side, sunny and connecting to the street, the distinctive silhouette of gingkos and squared-off beeches, mounding lavenders and graphic maiden grasses, play against expanses of raw concrete and accents of reclaimed, century-old barn wood. On the sheltered side, shady and sloping down to the stream, a variety of dark green foliages merge into the surroundings.

An original turn-of-the-century Craftsman home had lost it original charm in the kitchen and bathroom, both renovated in the 1980s. The clients desired to restore the original look, while still giving the spaces an updated feel. Both rooms were gutted and new materials, fittings and appliances were installed, creating a strong reference to the history of the home, while still moving the house into the 21st century. Photos by Melissa McCafferty

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.

With a primary focus on harnessing the stunning view out towards the Hudson river, our client wanted to use tones and stains that would be highlighted through natural light. As a result, the pairing of light tones of white and blue helped create this sense of continuity that we were searching for. As well as the incorporation of two central islands, the choice in materiality helped create a strong sense of contrast.

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.

Jacob Lilley Architects Location: Lexington, MA, USA A new garage, kids play room above and a mudroom met the need for more space. A renovated kitchen, bedroom and other living spaces created a refreshed sense of home. The strategic location of the mudroom as an intermediary connector solved problems with this 19th-century home siting seven feet above the ground with limited access to the rear yard. The connector between the garage and existing house is a stair that unifies the various levels and develops a strong connection to the yard. Photographed by: Eric Roth

This modern grey kitchen is a perfect example of how a classic style can be used to create a modern industrial kitchen design. Updated with features such as square-cut frames and a smoked oak veneer, this kitchen features top-of-the-range appliances and strong, clean lines to create the industrial look. The unique blend of Marjoram painted perimeter cabinets and the Smoked Oak veneer on the kitchen island creates a stunning industrial grey kitchen that is the ultimate in contemporary style, particularly when coupled with the Snowy Ibiza work surfaces.

CONCRETE & CASHMERE Industrial edge, softly tailored. DESIGN DESCRIPTION In this loft-style home, raw architecture meets the refinement of a tailored suit. Exposed concrete ceilings sit above classic white wall panelling and warm herringbone oak floors, giving every room a balance of grit and grace. In the living room, a deep taupe velvet sectional, smoked glass tables and a cowhide rug invite lounging, while a sculptural smoked-chrome pendant floats above the dining table. The kitchen pairs Calacatta marble with bronze-toned cabinetry and a waterfall island lined with bentwood stools. In the bedrooms, charcoal upholstery, inky drapery and graphic black-and-white rugs create a moody, hotel-like calm. The bathrooms continue the story with cerused oak vanities, brushstroke tile and crisp modern fixtures. The result is urban luxury: bold, layered and effortlessly livable.

This project reinvents a traditional San Francisco infill residence into a light filled, colorful modern home. The new design is modest in space but generous in material and detailing. An interactive relationship between the kitchen and living spaces was created with cabinetry that stretches to link the rooms spatially and functionally. The dynamic wall cabinet incorporates open and closed units in a varied, yet colorful modular composition to give variety and visual play. As a product of the couple’s strong belief in environmentally sensitive design, the remodel incorporates green building products and materials throughout. ©john todd