Exterior forms are emphasized with glass and fiber-cement panels at the top level, soaring over and sheltering containers clad in tougher, leathery Corten Steel at the ground level. Exposed concrete walls and rock-filled gabion retaining was selected to anchor the partially day-lighted basement level and garages to the land. Materials were chosen to be low-maintenance, relatively inexpensive, and to contrast the volumes that express the interior spaces.

Techo-Bloc pavers combine to create a large scale outdoor chess board in a sunken patio. When not used, the oversized, lightweight chess pieces are easily moved aside to accommodate a patio set.

Living room - modern medium tone wood floor living room idea

Inspiration for a mid-sized traditional full sun front yard brick driveway in Richmond for summer.

Delightful "Nottingham Tudor" brick home using gray mortar.
Home design - traditional three-story brick beige home design idea with a clipped gable roof

The homeowners' beach glass was embedded into the concrete countertop for permanent showcase in their home. The color palate is inspiration from lake MI in Harbor Country. The blues, greys and creams are brought into the materials in a way that reiterates the modern design the designers were after. Many of the materials selected for the kitchen are both clean and reflective.

Inspiration for a rustic hillside landscaping in Sacramento.

Custom Surface Solutions (www.css-tile.com) - Owner Craig Thompson (512) 430-1215. This project shows the remodel of a small 1950's vintage home master bathroom. 8"" x 18" Calcutta gold marble tile was used on the shower walls and floor wall base and ceramic gray penny tile on the floor. Shower includes curbless pan / floor, dual shower boxes, frameless glass slider, trough duel fixture sink and chrome fixtures.

This mid-century custom home had always intrigued me, so I was thrilled when asked by the homeowners to help to renovate their kitchen, master bath as well as three other bathrooms. Having a true sense of the home's essence and history, they were not afraid to use exotic and precious finishes to highlight its uniqueness. All doorknob sets and faucet sets are by Sherle Wagner and carefully selected by the homeowners to be unique to each space.

Urban home design photo in Boston

A custom home in Jackson, Wyoming
Example of a mid-sized transitional built-in desk craft room design

This industrial staircase rises through the heart of the home, taking center stage as an anchoring sculptural piece. The light gray treads pair flawlessly with the dark metal railings to create a refined contrast while complementing the exposed structural steel beams throughout the home. The open risers amplify the sense of volume, allowing the staircase to feel integrated rather than intrusive. The result is functional art that elevates everyday movement into an architectural experience. 1976-2025 © Century Stair Company

Cottage basement photo in Philadelphia

Stairs in honed Pietra d'Avola and wall in Raw texture from Salvatori Pepe Fotografia
Staircase - contemporary staircase idea in Turin

Tucked into a corner of the dining room, this butler’s pantry is small but has a lot of style, with its metal grout joints and oversize antiqued tile. We repeated the brass plumbing fixture – it’s from the same collection as the kitchen faucet. The clean, sleek lines are perfect for this small space. Photo © Alyssa Rosenheck 2016

Custom Surface Solutions (www.css-tile.com) - Owner Craig Thompson (512) 430-1215. This project shows new 12 x 24 tile installed vertically with offset layout pattern on wall and floor. Includes shower box with linear glass accent tile back and vertical glass accent band. Tile edges are finished with Schluter Jolly satin aluminum profile edge trim.

Fu-Tung Cheng, CHENG Design • Front Exterior, Del Mar House Airstream trailers and Quonset huts inspired the design for this house docked against a gentle slope near San Diego. Cheng Design pits hard-edged industrial materials — concrete block, galvanized siding, steel columns, stainless steel cable and welded I-beams — against softer residential elements, such as stained-wood siding and a grid of exposed wood framing that supports the roof. Photography: Matthew Millman

Staircase - transitional staircase idea