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

Using new patented equipment, DesignerStone®Panels are made up of a front layer of thinly cut real stone (granite, travertine, onyx and marble) adhered to an unique backing which is then engineered using the most modern patented technology to create an extremely strong and light weight stone faced structure. We now have DSP's (onyx's, marble and travertine's) for outside use, flooring and for onxy's we have complete sealed units with lighting ready for install. These are custom made and can be shipped anywhere in the world. The panels are made by cutting natural stone blocks as thin as 5mm. Depending on the type of stone and the use, the backings can be aluminum polymer composite, fibreglass, honeycomb, and PVB. The result is a natural stone panel that is stronger and much lighter than traditional large slabs of the same stone.

Inspiration for a huge contemporary drought-tolerant and full sun backyard river rock and wood fence walkway in Tampa for summer.

Matthew Cunningham Landscape Design LLC

A spacious master bath in Rittenhouse Square features floor to ceiling marble slab walls with shower niche, and polished nickel fixtures by Phylrich.
Inspiration for a large timeless master gray tile and marble tile marble floor and gray floor wet room remodel in Philadelphia with gray walls

Useful under-the-stairs storage: this broom closet houses swifter mops and stick vacuum (an outlet is inside). Cabinet doors are painted the same color as the wall and are open by a touch latch. Michelle Turner, UDCP

Best twin wall bed-murphy style cabinet multi-functional, ergonomic, compact-home or commercial use.Does your home computer room, family room or office need to double as a guest room? Would you like to find an alternative to the uncomfortable sleep sofa or working in a cramped corner of a guest bedroom? Here’s a way to have the best of all worlds. This style wall bed has a bed neatly stored inside a cabinet that can create an extra wall in your home or can fit against an existing wall in just of floor space. The front of the cabinet has a display shelf wide enough for pictures and decor accessories and the top of the cabinet is wide enough for books, plants, accessories or collectibles. This collection comes in either a light, natural wood-grain or a high-gloss white laminate finish which will blend with almost any home color scheme and design. These wall beds are designed with longevity in mind, using certified, thick laminated chipboard, heavy-duty hardware and strong aluminum bed frame with solid wood slats. You can even open and close the bed with 1 hand with ergonomic new generation gas shocks mechanism. Easy-elegant-ergonomic. You really can have it all. When closed the cabinet creates an extra wall, complete with shelf. So, you can add home decor accessories to the top of the cabinet and the shelf. When open, you have a bedroom.

A relatively new product from Ralph Lauren, this is Polished Patina in "Old Rock Crystal". It is a troweled finish that has a lovely pearlized effect and looks beautiful in any room.

Marble-effect porcelain tiles in large formats are perfect for hospitality and business venues. Travertino Silver and Noir St. Laurent create a strong and refined contrast while the three-dimensional decors are energetic surfaces that emphasize the allure of the commercial project.

Keeping It Green http://keepingitgreenoutdoors.com 2014 PLNA Awards for Landscape Excellence Winner Category: Residential $0-$15,000 Award Level: Honorable Mention Project Description: The objective of this project was to match the surrounding natural woodland setting with the new landscaping and outdoor area. The homeowners enjoy being outside and wanted an extension of their house that they could enjoy with family and friends. After returning from vacations in their cabin, they wanted to re-create the same feeling at their home. To complete their new cabin feel they wanted somewhere to have a camp fire with good company. I wanted to create flow from each area, and maximize space in a very limited area. The overall look of the project needed to blend with the natural environment and appear as though is has been there for years. The clients were very open minded and great to work with through the design process and we were able to achieve everything we needed while working with budgets and preferences. The area was shaded with very poor drainage, which created a unusable space full of mud. The wet area made an already tight area with difficult access more challenging. It was also important to place the fire-pit at a safe distance from the house, and the tree canopy. The area was regarded to allow for better drainage and the downspouts were buried. A decorative river stone was selected to aide with drainage. All plant material needed to be shade tolerant and provide color. As a result, I chose plants with terrific foliage color, and texture; Aucuba, Heuchera, Athyrium and Hosta. The construction materials to build the steps, walls and fire-pit needed to be a stone that would match the existing stone and environment. For this I chose PA flagstone and fieldstone of varying sizes for interest and to create a more natural look. This project is special because of the limited space that needed to have its potential discovered and created. With the strong wooded environment the new outdoor area had to blend into that while working with the house and existing concrete patio. We exceeded our clients expectations by creating a new area that looked like it had been there forever. Plant List: 5 Astilbe chinensis ‘Vision in Pink’ 6 Heuchera x villosa ‘Citronella’ 6 Hosta x ‘Sum and Substance’ 2 Hydrangea macrophylla ‘Endless Summer 5 Buxus x ‘Green Velvet’ 1 Leucothoe fontsiana ‘Rainbow’ 4 Rhododendron ‘PJM’ 2 Chamaecyparis obtusa ‘Aurea Nana’ 1 Aucuba japonica ‘Variegata’ 3 Athyrium filix-femina 24 Pachysandra terminalis 16 Torenia fournieri Photo Credit: Keeping It Green

Michael Carroll. In this elegant and simple kitchen renovation, the owner wanted to add extra lighting to two places in the kitchen that are normally too dark - the under cabinet area, and in each of the cabinets, and he wanted to do this without having to do extra drilling and having to create excessive large lighting fixtures. Here LED Strip Light in beautiful Warm White was used in both applications, which not only created bright linear lighting, but was easy to install with minimal installation work and the LED lighting lit the entire surface without creating odd shadows. In each of the pictures the finished renovation is shown and also pictures of the work in progress, showing how the simple barrel connectors, and slide and lock LED Strip Light connectors easily come together for easy connections that do not require soldering. All of the lighting for both the undercabinet areas and in the cabinets are controlled using the iTouch LED Dimmer, which comes with strong double sided sticky back tape which, as shown here, has been carefully tucked up and behind the lip of the cabinet, for easy on/off and dimming control without the unsightly and design-disturbing traditional light switch.

Vertical lines define this sleek contemporary staircase. The dark stained treads and newels contrast beautifully with crisp white risers, while round metal balusters emphasize the clean vertical rhythm. The dark square-cut handrail anchors the design, creating visual weight against the home's light walls and open floor plan. The interplay of light and dark tones, combined with the strong vertical emphasis, gives the staircase a sense of height and elegance that grounds it in this contemporary home. 1976-2026 © Century Stair Company

Traditional Thai homes are usually built as a cluster of physically separated rooms arranged around a large central terrace. Interpreting the traditional typology of the Thai houses, the Residence Navathani consists in two parallel wings, separated by a large garden and a swimming pool. The objective of the stone architecture is to give a sense of unity and blend the building with trees, plants and other natural landscape. Trees are often allowed to grow in the central area of the traditional Thai house with plants always featured prominently to create a strong relationship with nature. The choice of Thai travertine as the main stone for the building stems from the following objectives: first, the stone must display a strong natural character with contrasting color hues and crystalline veins, which contribute to blending the architecture into the landscape. Second, the design of the stone provides a sense of unity to the building. The façade of each wing displays an array of columns of various widths and spacings and there is an alignment of the columns between the two wings. The texture is rough on the outside face of the columns and honed on the sides as it continues through the window to the inside of the house. The two wings are connected by a long screen wall that separates the drop-off area from the private areas. This wall is pierced with square openings which helps to show a relationship between the two areas. The façade facing the entrance features stone in contrasting but related ways: the right hand wing is clad with honed stone on top of a large window, while the opposite wing displays a chiseled stone wall on the bottom with a large window on top. The architecture extends to the outside of the right-hand wing with a private theater of a modern contemporary design. The stone featured on the façade changes to a minimalist grey basalt while continuing the column concept with the alternate textures grooved on the facing and honed on the sides.

Traditional Thai homes are usually built as a cluster of physically separated rooms arranged around a large central terrace. Interpreting the traditional typology of the Thai houses, the Residence Navathani consists in two parallel wings, separated by a large garden and a swimming pool. The objective of the stone architecture is to give a sense of unity and blend the building with trees, plants and other natural landscape. Trees are often allowed to grow in the central area of the traditional Thai house with plants always featured prominently to create a strong relationship with nature. The choice of Thai travertine as the main stone for the building stems from the following objectives: first, the stone must display a strong natural character with contrasting color hues and crystalline veins, which contribute to blending the architecture into the landscape. Second, the design of the stone provides a sense of unity to the building. The façade of each wing displays an array of columns of various widths and spacings and there is an alignment of the columns between the two wings. The texture is rough on the outside face of the columns and honed on the sides as it continues through the window to the inside of the house. The two wings are connected by a long screen wall that separates the drop-off area from the private areas. This wall is pierced with square openings which helps to show a relationship between the two areas. The façade facing the entrance features stone in contrasting but related ways: the right hand wing is clad with honed stone on top of a large window, while the opposite wing displays a chiseled stone wall on the bottom with a large window on top. The architecture extends to the outside of the right-hand wing with a private theater of a modern contemporary design. The stone featured on the façade changes to a minimalist grey basalt while continuing the column concept with the alternate textures grooved on the facing and honed on the sides.

Wine barrel used to create vanity
Inspiration for a small farmhouse black tile and mosaic tile bathroom remodel in Seattle with a vessel sink and beige walls

This thoughtfully designed home required multiple custom staircases, each blending farmhouse charm with contemporary elegance. Gleaming oak treads, substantial wooden newels, and floating white oak handrail systems create a look that's both traditional and refined. Each staircase seamlessly connects the home's strong farmhouse character with modern living spaces, proving that old-fashioned charm and contemporary design don't just coexist. They elevate each other. 1976-2026 © Century Stair Company

dill flowers
Inspiration for a farmhouse landscaping in New York.

Design ideas for a tropical landscaping in Hawaii.