Landscape architect Andrea Cochran added warmth to this outdoor living space with a long modern fireplace. Photo by Marion Brenner for California Home + Design

Photography: @ Tara Guertin
Inspiration for a contemporary outdoor playset in San Francisco.

Dining room - contemporary medium tone wood floor dining room idea in San Francisco with beige walls

White Kitchen Featuring Shaker Doors, Contemporary Hardware & Soapstone Counters
Elegant kitchen photo in New York with subway tile backsplash and soapstone countertops

John Evans
Inspiration for a huge timeless u-shaped dark wood floor kitchen remodel in Columbus with beaded inset cabinets, white cabinets, white backsplash, paneled appliances, an island, granite countertops and stone tile backsplash

Karyn Millet
Living room - contemporary living room idea in Los Angeles with brown walls and a standard fireplace

Guidelines for Choosing an Outdoor Firepit Designs When going over possible Outdoor Firepit Ideas in Kansas City MO, one of the main considerations is the decor and design of your home as it stands now. This is because it is important for the firepit to blend with and complement your home as opposed to standing out and looking out of place. Alternatively, if you are looking to redecorate your home, you can select an outdoor firepit that complements not your current decor, but the target. Most outdoor design ideas incorporate either metal or copper as the main material. The design itself depends on individual preference. For instance, you may choose an ornate design, in addition to providing you with the option of choosing from different shapes such as a square or a rectangle. A major consideration when selecting a design is the number of people who would potentially be warming themselves around the fire. For an outdoor pit around which many people are likely to gather, an open design is recommended. The professionals and designers in UMKC Masonry are in the business of enhancing spaces and creating a final product that is both functional and aesthetic. These experts prioritize high quality and first-rate service for every client. Kansas City Landscape & Design is Kansas city’s only certified Real stone veneer/siding contractor, BRICK PATIO CONTRACTOR..Stone veneer, STONE PATIO, FIRE PIT, KANSAS CITY’S BRICK,STONE WALLS CONTRACTOR,,Stone siding or cladding, is used for homes, offices, hardscapes, landscaping or any other architectural construction project that demands the finest surface covering.

A new modern farmhouse has been created in Ipswich, Massachusetts, approximately 30 miles north of Boston. The new house overlooks a rolling landscape of wetlands and marshes, close to Crane Beach in Ipswich. The heart of the house is a freestanding living pavilion, with a soaring roof and an elevated stone terrace. The terrace provides views in all directions to the gentle, coastal landscape. A cluster of smaller building pieces form the house, similar to farm compounds. The entry is marked by a 3-story tower, consisting of a pair of study spaces on the first two levels, and then a completely glazed viewing space on the top level. The entry itself is a glass space that separates the living pavilion from the bedroom wing. The living pavilion has a beautifully crafted wood roof structure, with exposed Douglas Fir beams and continuous high clerestory windows, which provide abundant natural light and ventilation. The living pavilion has primarily glass walls., with a continuous, elevated stone terrace outside. The roof forms a broad, 6-ft. overhang to provide outdoor space sheltered from sun and rain. In addition to the viewing tower and the living pavilion, there are two more building pieces. First, the bedroom wing is a simple, 2-story linear volume, with the master bedroom at the view end. Below the master bedroom is a classic New England screened porch, with views in all directions. Second, the existing barn was retained and renovated to become an integral part of the new modern farmhouse compound. Exterior and interior finishes are straightforward and simple. Exterior siding is either white cedar shingles or white cedar tongue-and-groove siding. Other exterior materials include metal roofing and stone terraces. Interior finishes consist of custom cherry cabinets, Vermont slate counters, quartersawn oak floors, and exposed Douglas fir framing in the living pavilion. The main stair has laser-cut steel railings, with a pattern evocative of the surrounding meadow grasses. The house was designed to be highly energy-efficient and sustainable. Upon completion, the house was awarded the highest rating (5-Star +) by the Energy Star program. A combination of “active” and “passive” energy conservation strategies have been employed. On the active side, a series of deep, drilled wells provide a groundsource geothermal heat exchange, reducing energy consumption for heating and cooling. Recently, a 13-kW solar power system with 40 photovoltaic panels has been installed. The solar system will meet over 30% of the electrical demand at the house. Since the back-up mechanical system is electric, the house uses no fossil fuels whatsoever. The garage is pre-wired for an electric car charging station. In terms of passive strategies, the extensive amount of windows provides abundant natural light and reduces electric demand. Deep roof overhangs and built-in shades are used to reduce heat gain in summer months. During the winter, the lower sun angle is able to penetrate into living spaces and passively warm the concrete subfloor. Radiant floors provide constant heat with thermal mass in the floors. Exterior walls and roofs are insulated 30-40% greater than code requirements. Low VOC paints and stains have been used throughout the house. The high level of craft evident in the house reflects another key principle of sustainable design: build it well and make it last for many years!

Located in the one of the most sought after streets in Gold Coast this holiday home conveys a nautical feel and boasts spectacular views of the Gold Coast hinterland. The clients have always had a strong desire to create a holiday home that encouraged a sense of relaxed living where by the days would be gentle and slow. After residing in the US for several years the clients became admirers of homes in the New England region and in particular the Hamptons. They loved the American take on modern English country, and of equal appeal was the classic Hampton beach lifestyle of carefree summers spent sailing, swimming, boating and fishing. When deciding to renovate their family beach house on the gold coast they knew they wanted to recreate that same effortless elegance and style they were drawn to in the Hamptons and combine it with the relaxed familiarity of Australian living. In their words they wanted to create a home that was “luxurious but never too perfect”. Central to the brief was also the need to satisfy their enthusiastic and demanding gourmands. Not only do they enjoy everything about cooking but also love entertaining especially during the holiday seasons with Christmas and Thanksgiving (an American tradition they quickly became accustomed to) being their favourite times to celebrate. Whether it’s a casual meal with family and friends or a more formal gathering, the kitchen had to function and withstand a great deal of activity. Our challenge was to bring to fruition the clients very definite vision for their home and this thereby presenting us with an ambitious design and renovation project encompassing a large portion of the home. With the kitchen such being such a focal point in the house our task was to orchestrate a space that would be elegant yet comfortable and that required the successful marriage of the design elements for their desired style of interior. Transforming the space. Small, cramped and unbalanced the original kitchen was positioned on a platform - along with the dinning and master bedroom. The original galley kitchen consisted of a full wall of tall cabinetry which boxed in what was already a narrow kitchen. To pave the way for a larger and more spacious design sought after by the clients the southern end of the existing platform was extended in length, walls adjoining the hallway were modified and the opening in the opposing wall closed off. The original laundry on the lower platform which backed onto the kitchen via a hallway was completely redesigned to make way for a new butlers pantry and as requested by the client to house the large Eline Electrolux fridges (required for entertaining). On the lower platform the original opening to the old laundry (no longer required) was also closed off and a new cavity slider entry was cut into the pantry from the kitchen to provide easy and functional access. A new landing was built to bring the storage area of the pantry up to the same level as the kitchen. A “pass through” was created to connect the pantry to the kitchen and dining room, providing easy and functional access to the utility room. The exposed rafters and existing ceiling in both the new kitchen and pantry areas were sheeted in to allow for a new and more effective and functional lighting layout. The conversion of the laundry to allow for a separate pantry and to house the new large fridges (a specific request from the client) was a key aspect to the design as this allowed us to maximise the feeling of space and include large open bench space either side of what was already a narrow galley kitchen. Here the Calacutta marble benchtops selected for their character look lavish and add clean lines to the design. In keeping with the desire to create a sense of calm, elements of balance and symmetry were incorporated into the design and on the cooking (western) wall a large induction cooktop and custom made rangehood cladded in Queensland Cedar veneer was centred and is a key architectural element. The protruded moulding ‘shaker door’ cabinetry further enhance the rooms character and glass front overhead cabinets amplify light and bring the coastal aesthetics into play. All overhead doors are fitted with Blum HF Aventos Servo Drive to ensure functional and ergonomic use in this narrow space. To store the households extensive collection of kitchen utensils, large platters and crockery, generous storage by way of drawers was incorporated in to the kitchen. With the large fridges placed in the pantry as per the clients request, an under bench integrated fridge was positioned in the main kitchen to allow for the storage of everyday necessities. On the opposing (eastern) wall the white ceramic butlers sink is another focal point for the Hampton style kitchen and the ‘Provence’ tap balances with the scale of the kitchen and complements the overall design. A convenient custom made ‘built in’ butchers block was a must have for the client and provides the ideal prep area. The mixed Australian hardwood complements the other natural timber elements including the new Tasmanian oak solid timber flooring and provides textural balance in this timeless interior. Below the butchers block, two Queensland Cedar solid timber trays boast the family emblem and Initials to mark the kitchens exclusivity and further personalises the kitchen. Interest and texture. The earth and sea colour scheme is in keeping with the neutral pallet and softness in the rest of the home and mimic the hues from both the seaside and the views beyond. Careful attention was given to the layering of these earthy shades, tones and textures to ensure the space had unity and depth – a necessary consideration for such a neutral pallet. An example of this is the marbled tiled splashback. Two variations of the tiles (honed and antique brushed) were sourced and cut to size and randomly placed in a brickwork pattern to create visual interest and be less predictable at eye level. The end result. The resulting kitchen is certainly one of the most show stopping features of the home with its bespoke fit out entirely geared to delivering a functional workspace dedicated to the sheer enjoyment of entertaining and cooking. The effortlessly stylish design and timeless finish transcends to fit this Australian home and the relaxed vibe this family was so eager to create for their holiday beach house.

Zoon media
Inspiration for a mid-sized 1960s master blue tile and ceramic tile porcelain tile and white floor alcove shower remodel in Calgary with furniture-like cabinets, medium tone wood cabinets, a two-piece toilet, white walls, an undermount sink, a hinged shower door and quartz countertops

Niko Tsogkas
Small trendy medium tone wood floor home office library photo in London with white walls

Nigel Rigden (www.nigrig.com)
Inspiration for a modern pool remodel in Hampshire with decking

Petr Krejci
Example of a transitional loft-style light wood floor family room design in London with a media wall

Kitchen/dining room combo - large transitional concrete floor and gray floor kitchen/dining room combo idea in London with gray walls

Bathroom - eclectic medium tone wood floor bathroom idea in London with a wall-mount sink and white walls

Built in shelves has provided the perfect necessity for any study room. Styled with copper accents, faux flowers, three seagrass storage basket and ghost chair.

Trendy master dark wood floor bedroom photo in Vancouver with gray walls and no fireplace

Shaker style kitchen
Inspiration for a timeless eat-in kitchen remodel in Berkshire with wood countertops, green cabinets, shaker cabinets, beige backsplash and stainless steel appliances

The glass box encloses an area previously unused
Contemporary exterior home idea in London