Jeff Thayer Photography
Nursery - small contemporary gender-neutral gray floor nursery idea in Orange County with gray walls

Laurel Way Beverly Hills luxury home theater with glass wall garden view. Photo by William MacCollum.
Inspiration for a huge modern open concept carpeted and gray floor home theater remodel in Los Angeles with a projector screen and brown walls

Julie Florio Photography
Mid-sized trendy open concept light wood floor and beige floor living room photo in New York with white walls, a standard fireplace, a brick fireplace and a media wall

John Sciarrino
Large elegant dark wood floor and brown floor hallway photo in Miami with beige walls

This brownstone, located in Harlem, consists of five stories which had been duplexed to create a two story rental unit and a 3 story home for the owners. The owner hired us to do a modern renovation of their home and rear garden. The garden was under utilized, barely visible from the interior and could only be accessed via a small steel stair at the rear of the second floor. We enlarged the owner’s home to include the rear third of the floor below which had walk out access to the garden. The additional square footage became a new family room connected to the living room and kitchen on the floor above via a double height space and a new sculptural stair. The rear facade was completely restructured to allow us to install a wall to wall two story window and door system within the new double height space creating a connection not only between the two floors but with the outside. The garden itself was terraced into two levels, the bottom level of which is directly accessed from the new family room space, the upper level accessed via a few stone clad steps. The upper level of the garden features a playful interplay of stone pavers with wood decking adjacent to a large seating area and a new planting bed. Wet bar cabinetry at the family room level is mirrored by an outside cabinetry/grill configuration as another way to visually tie inside to out. The second floor features the dining room, kitchen and living room in a large open space. Wall to wall builtins from the front to the rear transition from storage to dining display to kitchen; ending at an open shelf display with a fireplace feature in the base. The third floor serves as the children’s floor with two bedrooms and two ensuite baths. The fourth floor is a master suite with a large bedroom and a large bathroom bridged by a walnut clad hall that conceals a closet system and features a built in desk. The master bath consists of a tiled partition wall dividing the space to create a large walkthrough shower for two on one side and showcasing a free standing tub on the other. The house is full of custom modern details such as the recessed, lit handrail at the house’s main stair, floor to ceiling glass partitions separating the halls from the stairs and a whimsical builtin bench in the entry.

Michele Lee Willson
Inspiration for a transitional white tile and stone tile marble floor bathroom remodel in San Francisco with dark wood cabinets, gray walls and shaker cabinets

Aliza Schlabach Photography
Example of a large transitional enclosed light wood floor living room design in Philadelphia with gray walls and a standard fireplace

The remodeled kitchen expanded into the oversized dining room, making space for a large island, double ovens, ample storage, custom cabinetry, and a large range top, perfect for entertaining. A coffered ceiling adds character and elegance. Recessed lighting, pendants, and in- and under-cabinet lighting offer a warm glow and provide task lighting for meal prep. The room is a mix of rustic and refined, with a distressed cherry island top and a coffered ceiling and white cabinetry. Photo Credit: David Bader Interior Design Partner: Becky Howley

Inspiration for a contemporary dark wood floor powder room remodel in Chicago with a vessel sink, flat-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets and purple walls

ORCO Block & Hardscape’s Gray Precision CMU was an aesthetic choice for this modern designed home.
Contemporary gray one-story concrete exterior home idea in Orange County

The ConcreteWall collection by Tom Haga is the result of photographing raw and refined concrete walls, raw cinder block walls and even graffiti, in locations across Norway. The imagery used in this unique wallpaper is based on high-resolution photography and custom manipulation. No pattern is ever repeated, something that results in a very realistic finish.

ORCO Block & Hardscape’s Gray Precision CMU was an aesthetic choice for this modern designed home.
Example of a mid-century modern gray one-story concrete exterior home design in Orange County

Photo credit: Scott McDonald @ Hedrich Blessing 7RR-Ecohome: The design objective was to build a house for a couple recently married who both had kids from previous marriages. How to bridge two families together? The design looks forward in terms of how people live today. The home is an experiment in transparency and solid form; removing borders and edges from outside to inside the house, and to really depict “flowing and endless space”. The house floor plan is derived by pushing and pulling the house’s form to maximize the backyard and minimize the public front yard while welcoming the sun in key rooms by rotating the house 45-degrees to true north. The angular form of the house is a result of the family’s program, the zoning rules, the lot’s attributes, and the sun’s path. We wanted to construct a house that is smart and efficient in terms of construction and energy, both in terms of the building and the user. We could tell a story of how the house is built in terms of the constructability, structure and enclosure, with a nod to Japanese wood construction in the method in which the siding is installed and the exposed interior beams are placed in the double height space. We engineered the house to be smart which not only looks modern but acts modern; every aspect of user control is simplified to a digital touch button, whether lights, shades, blinds, HVAC, communication, audio, video, or security. We developed a planning module based on a 6-foot square room size and a 6-foot wide connector called an interstitial space for hallways, bathrooms, stairs and mechanical, which keeps the rooms pure and uncluttered. The house is 6,200 SF of livable space, plus garage and basement gallery for a total of 9,200 SF. A large formal foyer celebrates the entry and opens up to the living, dining, kitchen and family rooms all focused on the rear garden. The east side of the second floor is the Master wing and a center bridge connects it to the kid’s wing on the west. Second floor terraces and sunscreens provide views and shade in this suburban setting. The playful mathematical grid of the house in the x, y and z axis also extends into the layout of the trees and hard-scapes, all centered on a suburban one-acre lot. Many green attributes were designed into the home; Ipe wood sunscreens and window shades block out unwanted solar gain in summer, but allow winter sun in. Patio door and operable windows provide ample opportunity for natural ventilation throughout the open floor plan. Minimal windows on east and west sides to reduce heat loss in winter and unwanted gains in summer. Open floor plan and large window expanse reduces lighting demands and maximizes available daylight. Skylights provide natural light to the basement rooms. Durable, low-maintenance exterior materials include stone, ipe wood siding and decking, and concrete roof pavers. Design is based on a 2' planning grid to minimize construction waste. Basement foundation walls and slab are highly insulated. FSC-certified walnut wood flooring was used. Light colored concrete roof pavers to reduce cooling loads by as much as 15%. 2x6 framing allows for more insulation and energy savings. Super efficient windows have low-E argon gas filled units, and thermally insulated aluminum frames. Permeable brick and stone pavers reduce the site’s storm-water runoff. Countertops use recycled composite materials. Energy-Star rated furnaces and smart thermostats are located throughout the house to minimize duct runs and avoid energy loss. Energy-Star rated boiler that heats up both radiant floors and domestic hot water. Low-flow toilets and plumbing fixtures are used to conserve water usage. No VOC finish options and direct venting fireplaces maintain a high interior air quality. Smart home system controls lighting, HVAC, and shades to better manage energy use. Plumbing runs through interior walls reducing possibilities of heat loss and freezing problems. A large food pantry was placed next to kitchen to reduce trips to the grocery store. Home office reduces need for automobile transit and associated CO2 footprint. Plan allows for aging in place, with guest suite than can become the master suite, with no need to move as family members mature.

Teak floored shower
Large mountain style gray tile and cement tile dark wood floor doorless shower photo in New York with a console sink, light wood cabinets, wood countertops, a wall-mount toilet, gray walls and brown countertops

TEAM Architect: LDa Architecture & Interiors Interior Design: LDa Architecture & Interiors Builder: Denali Construction Landscape Architect: Michelle Crowley Landscape Architecture Photographer: Greg Premru Photography

Countertop Wood: Wenge Construction Style: End Grain Countertop Thickness: 2-1/2" Size: 25 1/2" x 39 1/2" Countertop Edge Profile: 1/8” Roundover on top horizontal edges, bottom horizontal edges, and vertical corners Wood Countertop Finish: Grothouse Original Oil™ Wood Stain: Natural Wood – No Stain Designer: Kate Connolly of Homestead Kitchens

Bill & Joan's Kitchen is a step out of the ordinary. Their two tone kitchen is separate from base to walls. While, I was at their beautiful home in Milford, MI, I forgot to photograph their matching fireplace and their powder room, but I hope the kitchen pictures will display the style enough

Intense Photography
Inspiration for a large modern medium tone wood floor kitchen/dining room combo remodel in Auckland with gray walls

As part of this backyard renovation project in Coquitlam, Arani Construction installed a structural Allen Block retaining wall system to create a clean transition between the lower concrete patio and the elevated garden area. The wall was constructed following proper excavation and grading, with compacted road base preparation and gravel drainage installed behind the blocks to ensure long-term stability and water management. The retaining wall also defines the landscape layout and provides a functional border for the upper planting area, helping prevent soil movement while improving the visual structure of the backyard. Natural stone accents and planting beds were incorporated into the design to soften the hardscape and blend the retaining wall with the surrounding landscaping. This upgrade was part of a larger exterior renovation aimed at improving drainage performance, usability of the outdoor space, and the overall appearance of the property.