This French limestone from Burgundy has been prized the world over for at least a century; its most famous installation being at the base of the Eiffel tower. Small to medium fossils can be seen throughout, adding to the stone’s authenticity and natural beauty. Colors range from light to dark beige.

Photos by Alan Barley. An innovative Modern-style home at an affordable price – yet, responds to our principles of climate-specific design, superior indoor air-quality and “total cost of ownership” durability. The appeal of our solutions from a “creature comfort” point of view is that they embody an understated simplicity, yet contain a visually interesting design that can be adapted to multiple home-buyer needs.

Outdoor Living Room: watch the game, enjoy a fire, listen to some tunes, cook a burger, turn down the lights, switch on the breeze. This patio has all the creature comforts for indoor living, outdoors.

THEME Created for a baby girl, this room is magical, feminine and very pink. At its heart is the Carriage Crib, surrounded by a large oak tree with delightful animals, baby blocks, a cozy window seat and an upholstered play area on the floor. FOCUS The eye-catching size and detail of the Carriage Crib, with a dainty canopy held in place by woodland creatures immediately catches a visitor’s attention, and is enhanced by the piece’s fascinating colors and textures. Wall murals, fabrics, accent furniture and lighting accent the beauty of the crib. A handsome Dutch door with a minientrance just for her ensures that this princess feels at home as soon as she steps in the room. STORAGE The room has closet organizers for everyday items, and cubicle storage is beautifully hidden behind the wall letter blocks. GROWTH As the room’s occupant grows from baby to toddler to child and ‘tween, the room is easily transformed with age-appropriate toys, pictures, bedding and fabrics. The crib portion of the carriage can be removed and fitted with a larger mattress, saving both time and money in the future. Letter blocks are easily updated by simply removing the letters and replacing them with mirrors, colors or other images. SAFETY Standard precautions are taken to secure power outlets and keep exposed shelving out of reach. Thickly padded upholstered squares featuring colors and patterns that coordinate with the fabrics on the window seat and valance create a visually inviting, comfortable and safe place to play.

Photos by Nettie Einhorn Designer Rene Costabile
Kitchen - mid-sized kitchen idea in New York with recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, quartzite countertops, white backsplash, subway tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances and a peninsula

Basement - large transitional walk-out porcelain tile and beige floor basement idea in Charlotte with white walls

Andrea Calo
Inspiration for a modern home design remodel in Austin

Home gym - large transitional gray floor home gym idea in Charlotte with white walls

Named for the original homestead, the Aspen Leaf Ranch blends early ranch history with modern sensibility. The owner, an outdoorsman and native plant enthusiast, and former project manager of notable Seattle buildings (including the Olympic Sculpture Park and the Bullitt Center), tasked Best Practice Architecture with designing a modest yet comfortable home reflective of valley cabins and farmsteads. He desired a small home that was ‘light on the land’, yet flexible enough to accommodate visiting friends and family. Located in a quiet river valley 10 miles from the nearest town, the result is a humble compound firmly rooted in the rural vernacular. The Methow Valley was familiar to the owner from childhood ski and camping trips and he now has family who live in the area. The Valley is hot and dry in the summer and on average receives over 70 inches of snow each winter. Set in a narrow river valley below high mountain peaks, the owner wanted the new home to have a strong visual and physical connection to the surrounding landscape. For many years, the homestead was operated as a horse packing guide service, and an old agricultural barn remains that will eventually be repurposed into a ski waxing room, shop, and sauna. Two new structures make up the residential retreat: a one-bedroom main house and a carport with an adjoining guest suite, small office, and storage for outdoor equipment. Best Practice’s design prioritizes natural light and optimizes dramatic views of the surrounding meadow, forest, hills, and mountains “I wanted both the design and scale of the new buildings to reflect traditional ranch homes and cabins in the remote river valley with all the creature comforts of modern living,” said the homeowner. “Ensuring a strong connection to the outside throughout the seasons was a primary goal. Windows on all sides and three exterior doors allow me to track the many species of birds and wildlife that move through the property and access the ever-changing light and weather.” Best Practice carefully positioned the new structures to frame important vistas while minimizing disturbance to the native forest and meadow. The exterior finishes and details are consistent with historic cabins and barns in the area but stylized to acknowledge the new structure’s place in time. Metal roofing, siding, and a gravel skirt were chosen to reduce wildfire risk, and native plantings attract and support local birds and wildlife. Best Practice simplified the interior detailing with a nod towards a rural cabin aesthetic, incorporating painted beadboard, extensive built-in cabinetry, warm woods, a sizeable kitchen, and an open nook for daytime lounging and overnight guests. The design also took into account the owner’s collection of art, family heirlooms, and furniture gathered over many years. Best Practice designed this Methow Valley home to respect the history and beauty of the historic Aspen Leaf Ranch while embracing modern comforts. The design successfully meets a well-considered program for 4-season use and serves as a full-time rural retreat for the owner as well as a gathering place for friends and family.

We designed this beautiful cedar shake home with a metal roof and oyster shell embedded tabby fireplace. The pool is the heart of this home! The glass roll up garage door brings the outside in, and allows for entertaining to flow freely. Lots of outdoor space for lounging and soaking up the sun. An extra living space above the 3 car garage, including a kitchen area, enables guests to visit while providing access to some of the creature comforts of home. The crowning touch is the cupolas that allows for a 360 degree view, including spectacular views of the ocean.

Handmade in San Diego, California. Be inspired when you work at the beautiful Origins Desk. This is shown in a gorgeous and rare domestic hardwood called sweetgum but is also available in walnut. The footprint is small so it fits into a variety of spaces but the workspace is large enough to afford all creature comforts one is accustomed to when working. The drawer is 41L x 18D offering plenty of room to keep your workspace clear of clutter. Mitered edge joints highlight the continuous grain that flows from the top of the piece down the side. Contrasting maple dovetails add strength and demonstrate the precision and craftsmanship in the construction of this piece.

Classic creature comforts. That's what comes to mind with the Hartwell collection -- a group composed of a sophisticated silhouette with timeless appeal. Off-the-floor styling and a camelback design merge with contemporary details like sleek arms and optional nailhead trim. *Designed by Peter Balistreri

A total renovation driven by creature comforts and elegant taste. A warm palette with touches of sparkle adorn this home. A space that reflects the beauty of its family and its love of cooking and entertaining. Nothing was left out of this project.

The jackalope may be a fun and mythical creature, but our delightfully faux Andies Antler Hanger is a real way to add some whimsy to your outdoor living space. Use this nicely sized accent to hang pool towels outside, or bring one inside as a fun conversation piece. It’s great anywhere. Hand-cast of durable, all-weather composite, these faux antlers can even work as a nice modern-rustic touch for a weekend retreat, or in your modern home office.

Removing highly flammable, invasive plants is key. When removing Pride of Madera, White sage, Salvia alpiana makes for a great alternative. The California native sage scents the air with an earthy, fresh fragrance, and its edible leaves are a perfect addition to Thanksgiving meals. The lady bug resting on its leaves protects human health by rendering the use of pesticides unnecessary. These delightful creatures are natural pest predators! Photo: Lesly Hall Photography

Sea Wolf Pendant Lamp Art Glass Pendant Lamp Created by George Scott Limited Edition This Sea Wolf motif is adapted from a Haida pattern, and represents a half wolf, half killer whale creature. The fused and slumped blue glass bowl features a deeply carved surface that reveals a translucent peach color. The chandelier hangs by stainless steel aircraft cables from a simple stainless steel and brass hardware. The fixture is designed to be direct wired, and uses a 60 watt recommended (100 watt max.) standard incandescent or compact fluorescent light bulb (not included). Please contact our Customer Care department for pricing and availability of this shade in a different shape or color. Limited edition of 5. Dimensions: 25.5″ H x 5.5″ D x 21″ diameter $3,900

This precious creature wanted to participate in the photoshoot, but failed to stand still :)
Bathroom - mid-sized coastal master beige tile and porcelain tile porcelain tile and beige floor bathroom idea in Tampa with furniture-like cabinets, brown cabinets, a two-piece toilet, beige walls, quartz countertops, black countertops and a freestanding vanity

Tom Harper This home was a renovation of a traditional weekend log home into a modern full time retirement residence. This home was shy of storage, loaded with lots of wood (floors, walls and ceilings were all wood) and was dated and dull. We completely blew out the kitchen and all bathrooms and totally renovated the basement into a cozy entertainment space. The style ended up being "mountain modern" which was sensitive to the modern home style, but fresh with contemporary creature comforts and details.

Photo: Margot Hartford © 2016 Houzz
Example of an exterior home design in San Francisco