Process photo. The fire pit is a DIY Menards project. I probably wouldn't do another square fire pit. It was too large - the fire didn't warm enough on cold evenings. Yes, the dog loved the loose dirt. I'm not sure how many bones are buried there. Photo credit - Owner

Photo Credit: Willett Photography http://www.willettphoto.com The home is located in Atlanta, GA and was a complete ground up project. We worked with the very talented architect Rodolfo Castro. We worked closely with him and the clients to achieve the right interior layout as well as the furniture plan. As far as the interior design, we helped with the selections of the various finishes (flooring, bathroom tiles, paint colors for both interior and exterior, hardware, furniture and light fixtures). Working with great vendors such as Francois & Co. for the kitchen hood and the fireplace, Specialty Tile, Circa Lighting, Century Furniture, and many other wonderful local vendors. This helped us achieve the perfect atmosphere and architectural detail in the space. The clients were very involved in the selection process and so it helped that they had great taste! It was a great project from concept to the finished design.

Terren Landscapes http://www.terrenlandscapes.com Project Entry: Pembrooke Estate Rain Garden 2014 PLNA Awards for Landscape Excellence Winner Category: Sustainable Landscape &60,000-$120,000 Award Level: Silver Project Description: The client contracted our company to solve multiple existing drainage problems. In a heavy rain event the existing French drain system would overflow, causing water to pool in the driveway. After investigating the system we found that the capacity of the French drain was undersized for the amount of storm water from the large rain events received in recent years. As a result of our findings and at the request of the homeowner, we designed a storm water management system to capture all storm water from the structures on the property and regenerate the underground aquifers for the volume of a 5.8” rainstorm. In addition to the new drain system, the homeowners wanted a rain garden to provide a backdrop for an existing formal garden, provide a habitat for wildlife, and provide screening from an adjacent neighbor. Throughout the design process many challenges were presented, including an existing gas line, which ran directly through the area that best suited the bioswale. The existence of the gas line caused us to alter the shape and depth of the bioswale in some areas. We also inspected the existing downspouts to make sure there were no obstructions that would impede the system’s efficiency, and then conducted a test pit dig to make sure we had sufficient percolation rates for disposal of storm water. To effectively capture the storm water runoff, the existing downspouts were piped from the main house and the large detached garage to a large catch basin located at the low point in the driveway. The driveway catch basin contains two outlet pipes at different elevations within the basin allowing water from smaller rain events to enter the bioswale and rain garden area to percolate into the soil before excess water overflows into a sediment trap which filters out any debris and is then piped to an underground StormTech® pit to slowly percolate into the ground. The other outlet pipe in the driveway catch basin is used for larger storm water events, taking the water directly to the StormTech® pit. Accepting and slowing the velocity of the storm water, mitigation of erosion, and filtering out pollutants contained in the “first flush” of rainfall are the primary functions of the bioswale and rain garden. Planting these areas with mostly native plant species helps carry out these functions while attracting and providing shelter for wildlife. The ‘Niobe’ weeping willow is the centerpiece of the rain garden, connecting with the axis of the existing formal garden. To screen the neighboring property we chose Chamaecyparis nootkatensis ‘Pendula’ for its graceful evergreen habit and tolerance of wet sites. ‘Ivory Halo’ dogwood and Panicum ‘Cloud Nine’ were used for screening as well as winter interest. To provide deciduous structure to the garden Taxodium distichum and Magnolia virginiana were used in conjunction with witch hazel. Mostly native wetland perennials were used due to their tolerance of wet conditions and occasional drought. The area above the StormTech® pit provides space for the client’s family to relax. The rain garden and bioswale provide screening, storm water management, a habitat for wildlife, and plants that enhance the adjacent formal garden. Photo Credit: Terren Landscapes

Sherwin Williams #SW7632 Modern Gray Photo Credit: Dan Johnson Photography
Inspiration for a rustic dining room remodel in Grand Rapids

It’s true in construction, and it’s true in life: sometimes, you have to get down to the bare bones and rebuild from there. A “full gut” is the complete and total rebuilding of a home from the inside out. And that’s what we did for this apartment in a 1921 home in Cliffside Park, New Jersey. Our team took up the floors, raised ceilings, and moved walls, with a new architectural space as the result. The finished apartment is a playful fusion of old and new. Gritty texture meets smooth surface as exposed brick and wood headers contrast with reclaimed wood and fresh paint. The open-flow floor plan blends historic touches with a modern sensibility; when the sliding barn doors are open, the kitchen and living area connects with the bedroom/playroom area. At the center of it all, the custom dining table serves as an elegant visual anchor. Natural light streams in through an uncovered window, affording a calming glimpse of the landscaped yard and garden. At the same time, new interior lighting illumines the kitchen and the bathroom. The latter is a luxury experience, featuring a drop-in tub with granite surround, a custom-tiled niche, and a towel warmer too. The formerly dim, cramped apartment is energized and illuminated; the process of peeling back the layers changed a sub-par space into something special. Want to peel back the layers of your space? Contact us today! Photo Credit: Anne Ruthmann Photography

Global Garden is a workplace that minimizes the impact on the environment and considers the needs of its co-workers. The concept is formal garden layouts, and the main focus is easily accessible and convenient for co-workers. The office is fair use for individuals of all abilities in terms of the use of wayfinding and a variety of work settings. This Interior focuses on staying close to nature in various aspects to boost the level of well-being and increase employees' performance throughout the office. These crucial aspects of design will help flexibility, socialization, and productivity between individuals to contribute to the process of growth, learning, and transition. The collaborative design of the facility will inspire people to collaborate both in the office and with others globally. In Conclusion, the design for this specific space will be developed to create an atmosphere that encourages the inclusiveness of co-workers' safety and well-being. Designer Credit: https://www.instagram.com/mahsa_intd/

This Jersey City, NJ space was the first permanent ‘home’ for the yoga studio, so it was essential for us to listen well and design a space to serve their needs for years to come. Through our design process, we helped to guide the owners through the fit-out of their new studio location that required minimal demolition and disruption to the existing space. Together, we converted a space originally used as a preschool into a welcoming, spacious yoga studio for local yogis. We created one main yoga studio by combining four small classrooms into a single larger space with new walls, while all the other program spaces (including designated areas for holistic treatments, massage, and bodywork) were accommodated into pre-existing rooms. Our team completed all demo, sheetrock, electrical, and painting aspects of the project. (The studio owners did some of the work themselves, and a different company installed the flooring and carpets.) The results speak for themselves: a peaceful, restorative space to facilitate health and healing for the studio’s community. Looking to renovate your place of business? Contact the Houseplay team; we’ll help make it happen! Photo Credit: Anne Ruthmann Photography

This backyard renovation in one of Calgary's exclusive lake communities demanded the expertise of a skilled team of contractors. The pool originally constructed in the 70's needed refinishing and while many contractors said they could not complete the project without demolishing the existing pool, VisionScapes managed to salvage the existing structure, replace the mechanical, install an new delifol liner and ultimately save the clients from a lengthy and costly permitting process due to multiple regulation changes. This yard now has all the amenities necessary to provide this growing Calgary family years of future enjoyment. Photo Credit: Jamen Rhodes

“You ever notice how supervillains have really good taste in furniture?” I’m proud to bring you another original design! I like to believe that part of myself goes into my work, and I hope the intelligence and creative spirit that went into this piece radiates throughout your home. Enjoy! – Cedrick This ‘Stance’ coffee table started as a slab of redwood for the top, beech and reclaimed cedar for the legs. It measures 64″L x 16.5″W x 15.5″ H, and makes a good companion to a wide, low modern or midcentury sitting area. Black epoxy fill highlights knots and along with a 3 stage finishing process brings a stark, strong look to the table; people tend to stare at the spiraling grain patterns when they first see it. Glass smooth lacquer invites touching and brings that a very deep sheen to the top. The angled legs are suprisingly sturdy and work well for this application while adding an intelligent visual twist. Credit to our lumber suppliers also, Millers Milling and Hughes Hardwood for their superb service.

Completed in early 2019, this 6 storey and 50 unit building is slated to become one of Canada's largest certified Passive House Building located in Fort St. John, Canada. It is also a first worldwide, as it is slated to become he Northernmost multi-storey Multifamily Building achieving the stringent international Passive House Standard. This collaboration project between BC Hydro and BC Housing is scheduled for occupancy in early 2019 and will be home to some BC Hydro workers and their families and provide affordable rental housing to the community. BC Housing is leading the development, construction, management and operation of the building. Later this year, BC Housing will seek a non-profit building operator through a public contracting process. The building operator and BC Housing will share information regarding eligibility and how to apply for the affordable housing units. Marken Design + Consulting was acting as the certified Passive House Consultant and certification coordinator on this groundbreaking project. Photo Credits and Project Architect; Low Hammond Rowe Architects

Using a dip-dye technique, this table runner showcases the unique effects of hand-dyed fabrics. Embellished with our signature block print design. Color scheme: dyed in pink. Block print design is fuchsia with a gold accents. Handcrafted in New York City. Made to order. Processing time: 7- 14 business days. Photo credit: AM Media Group NY

It’s true in construction, and it’s true in life: sometimes, you have to get down to the bare bones and rebuild from there. A “full gut” is the complete and total rebuilding of a home from the inside out. And that’s what we did for this apartment in a 1921 home in Cliffside Park, New Jersey. Our team took up the floors, raised ceilings, and moved walls, with a new architectural space as the result. The finished apartment is a playful fusion of old and new. Gritty texture meets smooth surface as exposed brick and wood headers contrast with reclaimed wood and fresh paint. The open-flow floor plan blends historic touches with a modern sensibility; when the sliding barn doors are open, the kitchen and living area connects with the bedroom/playroom area. At the center of it all, the custom dining table serves as an elegant visual anchor. Natural light streams in through an uncovered window, affording a calming glimpse of the landscaped yard and garden. At the same time, new interior lighting illumines the kitchen and the bathroom. The latter is a luxury experience, featuring a drop-in tub with granite surround, a custom-tiled niche, and a towel warmer too. The formerly dim, cramped apartment is energized and illuminated; the process of peeling back the layers changed a sub-par space into something special. Want to peel back the layers of your space? Contact us today! Photo Credit: Anne Ruthmann Photography

It’s true in construction, and it’s true in life: sometimes, you have to get down to the bare bones and rebuild from there. A “full gut” is the complete and total rebuilding of a home from the inside out. And that’s what we did for this apartment in a 1921 home in Cliffside Park, New Jersey. Our team took up the floors, raised ceilings, and moved walls, with a new architectural space as the result. The finished apartment is a playful fusion of old and new. Gritty texture meets smooth surface as exposed brick and wood headers contrast with reclaimed wood and fresh paint. The open-flow floor plan blends historic touches with a modern sensibility; when the sliding barn doors are open, the kitchen and living area connects with the bedroom/playroom area. At the center of it all, the custom dining table serves as an elegant visual anchor. Natural light streams in through an uncovered window, affording a calming glimpse of the landscaped yard and garden. At the same time, new interior lighting illumines the kitchen and the bathroom. The latter is a luxury experience, featuring a drop-in tub with granite surround, a custom-tiled niche, and a towel warmer too. The formerly dim, cramped apartment is energized and illuminated; the process of peeling back the layers changed a sub-par space into something special. Want to peel back the layers of your space? Contact us today! Photo Credit: Anne Ruthmann Photography

It’s true in construction, and it’s true in life: sometimes, you have to get down to the bare bones and rebuild from there. A “full gut” is the complete and total rebuilding of a home from the inside out. And that’s what we did for this apartment in a 1921 home in Cliffside Park, New Jersey. Our team took up the floors, raised ceilings, and moved walls, with a new architectural space as the result. The finished apartment is a playful fusion of old and new. Gritty texture meets smooth surface as exposed brick and wood headers contrast with reclaimed wood and fresh paint. The open-flow floor plan blends historic touches with a modern sensibility; when the sliding barn doors are open, the kitchen and living area connects with the bedroom/playroom area. At the center of it all, the custom dining table serves as an elegant visual anchor. Natural light streams in through an uncovered window, affording a calming glimpse of the landscaped yard and garden. At the same time, new interior lighting illumines the kitchen and the bathroom. The latter is a luxury experience, featuring a drop-in tub with granite surround, a custom-tiled niche, and a towel warmer too. The formerly dim, cramped apartment is energized and illuminated; the process of peeling back the layers changed a sub-par space into something special. Want to peel back the layers of your space? Contact us today! Photo Credit: Anne Ruthmann Photography

Architect: M3 Architecture Inc.
Interior Design: Mocoro Studio
We recently completed a development project in the Pemberton Heights area of North Vancouver. These 2 houses were built to benefit the long-term durability through the selection of efficient materials and process which will give a longer lifespan with lower maintenance and energy costs. This project was a perfect fit for us to assist in the design and execute the construction while working with some outstanding clients and consultants. A win for all of us! 
The original home was recycled hitting our target goals of 90%, leading way to a couple of stealth looking homes with performance levels right there with the best of them. Our mechanical engineer designed the mechanical systems to achieve maximum efficiency and hit our internal target goals that we have set for ourselves in accordance with our Vision here at Naikoon. These homes came in at EnerGuide score of 85% which can also be referenced in GJ with a score of 54GJ. To give you an idea of how this rating relates to an average home of this size, these 2 beauties on Mackay are about 80% more efficient. The main components in the design and equipment selection that leads to this are:
1) Space heating and Cooling
2) Water Heating
3) Lights and Appliances
4) Wall assemblies and insulation

Like all of our projects, we take pride in looking at the small details of the house. Things like, insulated water lines, domestic hot water heat recovery units, electric car plug-ins, solar power ready, extensive use of environmentally friendly materials, hot water heat pumps and stringent testing and inspection point along the way, led to a successful completion of 2 certified high-performance homes with Built Green Platinum and EnergyStar certifications. Photo credits: vopenhouse.ca

Photo Credit: Willett Photography http://www.willettphoto.com The home is located in Atlanta, GA and was a complete ground up project. We worked with the very talented architect Rodolfo Castro. We worked closely with him and the clients to achieve the right interior layout as well as the furniture plan. As far as the interior design, we helped with the selections of the various finishes (flooring, bathroom tiles, paint colors for both interior and exterior, hardware, furniture and light fixtures). Working with great vendors such as Francois & Co. for the kitchen hood and the fireplace, Specialty Tile, Circa Lighting, Century Furniture, and many other wonderful local vendors. This helped us achieve the perfect atmosphere and architectural detail in the space. The clients were very involved in the selection process and so it helped that they had great taste! It was a great project from concept to the finished design.

It’s true in construction, and it’s true in life: sometimes, you have to get down to the bare bones and rebuild from there. A “full gut” is the complete and total rebuilding of a home from the inside out. And that’s what we did for this apartment in a 1921 home in Cliffside Park, New Jersey. Our team took up the floors, raised ceilings, and moved walls, with a new architectural space as the result. The finished apartment is a playful fusion of old and new. Gritty texture meets smooth surface as exposed brick and wood headers contrast with reclaimed wood and fresh paint. The open-flow floor plan blends historic touches with a modern sensibility; when the sliding barn doors are open, the kitchen and living area connects with the bedroom/playroom area. At the center of it all, the custom dining table serves as an elegant visual anchor. Natural light streams in through an uncovered window, affording a calming glimpse of the landscaped yard and garden. At the same time, new interior lighting illumines the kitchen and the bathroom. The latter is a luxury experience, featuring a drop-in tub with granite surround, a custom-tiled niche, and a towel warmer too. The formerly dim, cramped apartment is energized and illuminated; the process of peeling back the layers changed a sub-par space into something special. Want to peel back the layers of your space? Contact us today! Photo Credit: Anne Ruthmann Photography

California modern rancher. Blend of warm and cool tones and material balance this space. Outdoor environment is low water use and drought resistant but still has greenery and inviting to hang out. In the kitchen we removed the walls that made up the tiny closet of a kitchen that was in the corner under the skylight and was able to hide the ceiling height differences at the small desk area and oven cabinets and keep the skylight. The effect is a wide-open concept with the least amount of construction possible. For the kitchen layout, we created a cozy zone for the chef to work in the corner without any cross traffic, seating area around the outside of the island keeps guest out of the work area but still close and part of the process. The warming drawer in the island positioned for proximity to the "buffet line" at the island when entertaining. On the dining end of the kitchen there is a coffee and wine bar. Coffee bar is hidden behind the metal roll up door, and the wine and liquor bar are to the left and both share the sink in the middle, making it a functional and useful space from the morning until the evening. I like to call this bar "Start and Stop" ha-ha. Even though this space is very open and airy, it has a ton of storage including underneath the seating area at the island and the little workstation, which is open and uncluttered, has lots of storage nestled in the wall and underneath the counter and hides any CPU and wires neatly. In the master bath, we updated all the colors and finishes in a clean modern European style with large format porcelain tiles and repurposed a small useless closet (with a window in it) to a second vanity for extra counter space and linen storage. Plus, we added storage over the toilet in the water closet and an updated door and casing into the walk-in closet with frosted glass panels so that at night the light in the closet glowing in those panels can act as a night light. (Photo credit; Kitchens of Diablo)

Architect: M3 Architecture Inc.
Interior Design: Mocoro Studio
We recently completed a development project in the Pemberton Heights area of North Vancouver. These 2 houses were built to benefit the long-term durability through the selection of efficient materials and process which will give a longer lifespan with lower maintenance and energy costs. This project was a perfect fit for us to assist in the design and execute the construction while working with some outstanding clients and consultants. A win for all of us! 
The original home was recycled hitting our target goals of 90%, leading way to a couple of stealth looking homes with performance levels right there with the best of them. Our mechanical engineer designed the mechanical systems to achieve maximum efficiency and hit our internal target goals that we have set for ourselves in accordance with our Vision here at Naikoon. These homes came in at EnerGuide score of 85% which can also be referenced in GJ with a score of 54GJ. To give you an idea of how this rating relates to an average home of this size, these 2 beauties on Mackay are about 80% more efficient. The main components in the design and equipment selection that leads to this are:
1) Space heating and Cooling
2) Water Heating
3) Lights and Appliances
4) Wall assemblies and insulation

Like all of our projects, we take pride in looking at the small details of the house. Things like, insulated water lines, domestic hot water heat recovery units, electric car plug-ins, solar power ready, extensive use of environmentally friendly materials, hot water heat pumps and stringent testing and inspection point along the way, led to a successful completion of 2 certified high-performance homes with Built Green Platinum and EnergyStar certifications. Photo credits: vopenhouse.ca