Architect: Michelle Penn, AIA This luxurious European Romantic design utilizes a high contrast color palette. The U-shape kitchen has a large central island with the kitchen sink and dishwasher. The Jenn-Air Oiled Bronze appliances and black handles contract with the walls and granite countertops. The wall color is Pittsburgh Paint Earl Gray 522-5. Photo Credit: Jackson Studios

Situated in the heart of Charlotte, this contemporary home is part of the ReAlta neighborhood. ReAlta is the first solar community in Charlotte, NC. The ReFresh plan boasts an expansive rooftop deck, a private master suite at the back of the home, a light and airy front office and more windows than we can count. What the homeowners love: Huge energy savings from the solar & energy saving build process Super quiet interior rooms (from the insulated interior walls) Large windows placed for optimal sunlight and privacy from the neighbors Smart home system that's part of the house Low, low utility bills (resulting from the solar and the home's thermal envelope) ReFresh is a 3 bed, 2.5 bath home and is 2,450 square feet. With ReAlta, we are introducing for the first time in Charlotte a fully solar community. Each beautifully detailed home will incorporate low profile solar panels that will collect the sun’s rays to significantly offset the home’s energy usage. Combined with our industry-leading Home Efficiency Ratings (HERS), these solar systems will save a ReAlta homeowner thousands over the life of the home. Credit: Brendan Kahm

Light, bright and beautiful. This Master Suite delivers a space our Client's can both utilise and enjoy on a daily basis. Photo Credit: Tracey Ayton
Bedroom - contemporary bedroom idea in Vancouver

"Please Note: All “related,” “similar,” and “sponsored” products tagged or listed by Houzz are not actual products pictured. They have not been approved by Design Directions nor any of the professionals credited. For information about our work, please contact info@designdirections.com

This shower has a handheld and wall mount shower head, to be used with the shower seat. We utilized an integrated diverter to avoid having a monitor and separate diverter, taking up room in this small shower. Photo Credits: Chris Malacarne Photography

Green Home Systems provides reliable solar power solutions to residential and commercial customers all over the country. Recently, we had the opportunity to work with Bruce D. in Jacksonville, IL to provide a 19kW solar system for his home. We were able to complete this job quickly and efficiently, delivering a high quality product at an affordable price. At Green Home Systems, our mission is to provide our customers with the best customer service in the industry as well as unparalleled solar solutions at the most economical price. We understand that not everyone can afford large upfront costs associated with installing solar systems and we are proud to offer competitive financing options that make it easier for our customers to go solar without breaking the bank. This was certainly true for Bruce D., who took advantage of our financing options and was able to have his new solar system installed within a couple of weeks time. Our team worked hard to ensure everything went smoothly when installing Bruce’s new system. We began by inspecting his roof to determine if it was suitable for installation and if there were any potential problems that needed addressing before beginning work. Once we determined everything was in order we then moved on to designing and installing the system itself. Our team of experienced professionals worked diligently to ensure each component was installed properly and securely so that it would be able to withstand years of exposure to the elements without issue. We also made sure that Bruce was aware of all the financial benefits associated with having a photovoltaic system installed on his home. He was now able to take advantage of numerous tax credits available in Illinois as well as decreased utility bills due to reduced consumption from his local electricity provider. Additionally, he will be able to increase the value of his home by having a solar power system installed which will make it more attractive should he decide he wants to sell it down the line. In conclusion, we are proud of our work with Bruce D. in Jacksonville, IL and were happy to provide him with an efficient and cost-effective way to add renewable energy sources into his home’s power grid. Our team worked diligently throughout every stage of this project from design through installation until completion and we are thrilled with the results. We look forward to continuing our work throughout Illinois providing reliable solar solutions at competitive prices so that more people can benefit from this clean source of energy!

Photo Credits: Danielle Robertson
Beach style patio photo in Toronto

The owners of this beautiful home and property discovered the talents of the Fred Parker Company "Design-Build" team on Houzz.com. Their dream was to restore and renovate an old barn into a new guest house and to design and build an elaborate outdoor kitchen (See Separate Houzz Project- "Rustic-Luxe" Guest House- Barn Renovation ). The elaborate “Gourmet” Outdoor-Kitchen was designed and built to be utilized with their existing outdoor living and swimming areas. The husband loved outdoor cooking and wanted to fully incorporate all the latest accessories which included a stone pizza oven, gas grill, smoker, refrigerator, sink, storage, and leathered granite countertops. The structure was architecturally designed to blend with the existing residence, which included plaster stucco finish, steep pitch hip roof with turned overhang, custom metal gutters, and 12’ ceilings with decorative ceiling beams. Credits: -Ron Parker AIBD: Building Designer, Custom Builder -Lila Parker: ASID Interior Designer -Richard Berry: Associate Building Designer -Paul Diseker: Project Manager -Bryce Moore: Photographer

Terren Landscapes http://www.terrenlandscapes.com 2014 PLNA Awards for Landscape Excellence Winner Category: Residential $30,000-$60,000 Award Level: Silver Project Description: Our company was contracted to do a master plan for the family who was in desperate need of a rear yard renovation. The existing lawn area remained saturated throughout most of the year and the runoff from the neighboring property ran across their back yard, down the side of their property and all the way to the sidewalk in front of their house. The water was so intense that it had begun to cut through the back yard and erode the soil across the sidewalk and into the nearby storm drain. By identifying these drainage problems and discussing solutions with the homeowner, we were able to design and create the aesthetically pleasing and sustainable solution of a rain garden. The goal was to slow down storm water runoff, and catch pollution and sediment by creating a rain garden that acts as a filter prior to entering the storm drain, while enhancing the aesthetics of the property. The rain garden created was a shallow depression, 12 - 16" deep that collects rainfall runoff from all downspouts of the home and water collected into perforated pipes underneath the lawn area. The perforated pipe begins at the highest elevation in the yard and ends in the rain garden, the new lowest elevation that has been excavated down to an 8" depth. The perforated pipe captures the runoff water and allows the water to seep slowly back into the ground as it runs across the property and into the garden. The garden was lined with a geotextile filter fabric to aide in removing contaminants from the water, prevent migration of the stone in to the soil, and minimalize maintenance. A large variety of plant material was chosen, focusing mainly on native wetland species for their tolerance of our local soil types, moisture conditions and the habitat they provide for wildlife. The garden was abundant with native wildlife and was a sustainable ecosystem for birds and butterflies upon completion of the project. After planting, we arranged decorative stone throughout the garden to slow the flow of water and help prevent erosion. The combination of vegetative and stone surfaces provides temporary storage for runoff before the water either evaporates or infiltrates the soil. The surrounding beds throughout the property were also all amended with compost and replanted with plants that work in harmony with the rain garden. The front, side, and rear yards are a beautiful display of colors that bloom throughout the seasons and the plants throughout the entire property provide food and shelter for native wildlife. The rear yard that was once a muddy play space for the kids is now a dry lawn space that can be utilized by the family and their neighbors. This multi­ functional garden has become the focal point of the residence. Photo Credit: Terren Landscapes

This is a Viking Cambridge with a Shasta Spillover spa in the Blue Sapphire shell. This backyard features a multilevel patio that used Unilok Pavers for the patio. There is also a glass fire table that was built. This pool utilizes a Salt Water Pool System. Photo Credit: Jim Eiler

Remodeled in 2016, this contemporary kitchen is located on private golf course. Unique and stunning island and lighting treatments utilizing a combination of materials to complement and accentuate the design and functionality of the space. Featuring Verde Fire Granite, Red Birch Cabinets, Walnut Cabinets, and Walnut Island Countertop. McCandless & Associates Architects Photo credit: Farrell Scott

A custom island table extension was designed to fit in perfectly to the space. All design utilized aging-in-place design strategies. Clearances and door openings were sized to accommodate wheelchair access. This remodel and addition was designed and built by Meadowlark Design+Build in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Photo credits Sean Carter

Photo Credit: Third Shift Photography
Example of a small transitional u-shaped porcelain tile and beige floor kitchen pantry design in Other with a drop-in sink, recessed-panel cabinets, quartz countertops, beige backsplash, ceramic backsplash, stainless steel appliances and white countertops

The large sliding doors and many windows allow for light, as well as the tying in the outdoors. Additionally, the kitchen dining room mix allows for good proximity to the kitchen. The open concept gives the homeowner the opportunity to utilize the space with efficiency and simplicity. With the green pop of color in the dining room gives this contemperary house a unique vibe. Photo Credit: StudioQPhoto.com

This edgy contemporary home built in Austin is an exquisite example of the hill country contemporary style. Carefully utilizing the existing topography and abundant natural daylight, this home embodies LaRue Architects’ cherished approach of site specific residential design. Published: Modern Luxury Interiors Texas, April 2016 Modern Luxury Interiors Texas, Winter/Spring 2016 Vetta Homes, January-March 2015 (Cover) - https://issuu.com/vettamagazine/docs/homes_issue1 Photo Credit: Dror Baldinger

Photo Credit-Sunny Brook Photography
Dedicated laundry room - mid-sized craftsman l-shaped ceramic tile and multicolored floor dedicated laundry room idea in Denver with an undermount sink, recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, laminate countertops, white walls, a side-by-side washer/dryer and gray countertops

I wish I could take credit for this but it was my client's brain child...I love the way they incorporated their dog kennel into the laundry room and its built in. Dog doesn't mind it much either!

Remodeled in 2016, this contemporary kitchen is located on private golf course. Unique and stunning island and lighting treatments utilizing a combination of materials to complement and accentuate the design and functionality of the space. Featuring Verde Fire Granite, Red Birch Cabinets, Walnut Cabinets, and Walnut Island Countertop. McCandless & Associates Architects Photo credit: Farrell Scott

Fence created along existing driveway to provide visual privacy and interconnect main house to guest suite. Concrete pathway provides access to outdoor change room, washroom, storage and utility while maintaining direct visual reference to children play structure Photo Credit: Ed Eng Photo